Planeswalker: Return of a Lost Soul
by shalb
Summary: After fourteen years of being missing, Harry Potter returns with new powers to aid Neville Longbottom, TheBoyWhoLived, defeat Voldemort. Full Summary inside.
1. Planeswalker

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter. Just copies of the books.

**Summary: **When Voldemort attacked Harry when he was a year old, Harry disappeared and was presumed dead. Voldemort lived and went to kill Neville and his family and had the Killing Curse rebounded destroying his physical form. Neville was named The-Boy-Who-Lived, savior of the wizarding world. However, Neville bore no mark from Voldemort's attack. Over fourteen years has passed since Harry's disappearance. What happens when he suddenly returns bearing a lightning shaped cursed scar?

**Author's Note: **I am currently looking for someone to beta this story. Send me an email if your interested.

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Chapter 01: Planeswalker

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It was like any normal spring morning. The flowers were in full bloom. Trees were filled with green luscious leaves. Students were running around the halls enjoying their weekends. Gossip and chatter sounded through the normally quite halls. Hogwarts, the school of witchcraft and wizardry, was filled with life. But the unfortunate fifth year students were locked up in their rooms or library studying for the dreadful Ordinary Wizarding Levels exams. Or O.W.L.s for short. For seventh years, they were stuck with the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests better known as N.E.W.T.s. Neither groups were looking forward to the end of the term for the results of either exams determine their paths for the rest of their lives. O.W.L.s determine which courses a student may take in the remaining two years and the courses a student may take determines which occupations the student may take up.

For most students, there were expectations to meet. Some were to beat their friends, others were to show their parents they can meet their expected potential and perhaps exceed it. Thus, on this spring weekend, the Halls of Hogwarts were filled with serious students studying the best they could. Of course students had preferences, like slacking off in the morning and studying after lunch, but for Hermione Granger, studying was all she ever did. This was her fifth year at Hogwarts and Hermione was preparing for her O.W.L.s hoping to get into the Auror track. Since the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named last year, Hermione had become more studious, if it were possible, in her studies trying to discover a way to help Neville Longbottom, The-Boy-Who-Lived, defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Neville was one of her two best friends, despite his being in Hufflepuff while Hermione was sorted into Ravenclaw. His parents were taken from him when he was a year old when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named attacked Neville's family home. But it was during that attack the year old Neville miraculously survived a Killing Curse and repelled back to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named destroying the evil wizard. No one was sure how Neville lived or how he came out unscathed as an instance of a living being surviving a Killing Curse never existed before Neville. Thus, they made him a hero for destroying the Dark Lord of the era. Recently, despite his heroic status, the Ministry has begun to discredit Neville for spreading the truth of the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

Her other best friend was a redheaded Gryffindor named Ronald Weasley or better known as the Stomach of Endless Holding. Hermione has yet to see the day in which Ron would state he is full, as he just continues to eat until the hour is up for meals. Nor has she ever met anyone who can outmatch his appetite. In spite of being best friends, Hermione argued the most with Ron. Sometimes it was over trivial things like which day their assignment was due. Often times they were bickering with one another because neither was willing to admit to being wrong. That was always Ron, yet Hermione always took the bait going into those long bickering sessions. However, there were times when Hermione would argue with Ron over issues of great importance.

The three had formed a unique friendship over the years as they tackled various attempts on Neville's life as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tried to return to power. Who would have thought three different people of three different houses could become such close friends. Neville, the famous hero, was a boy loved by everyone he met. He was a charismatic leader as well, one who people would gather around, even Slytherins. There were exceptions, of course, but there were few Neville could not get along with. Ron was Neville's 'tactician', as he would like to call himself. Hermione had to admit, although Ron was immensely lazy and thought more about the calling of his stomach than most of anything else, when the time came, Ron was able to devise a plan to bring them success. As for Hermione, she was the person who supplied the pair with a plethora of knowledge to tackle the obstacles before them. Despite their friendship, Hermione was unable to convince her friends to study. Hundreds of times, she had explained how difficult the O.W.L.s would be and how important the exam would be in planning their future, but the two boys just did not have a care in the world. Except getting into fights with Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins who were envious of Neville's natural popularity. Or playing Quidditch.

Hermione scribbled away furiously on her paper as she reminded herself of Draco. She hated the pompous arrogant brat with a passion. Everyday, he throws the same painful insult towards her. Everyday, Draco just laughs as pain fills in her eyes. And not a single day has gone by in which Draco felt the insults had gone too far. It only took a few moments for Hermione to admit to herself that she could not continue and telling herself to go take a break. As Hermione walked out of her room, she saw a dark black shadow move across the shadows on ground. But when Hermione looked around, no one was there. She quickly drew her wand, waved a spell motion towards the moving shadow and said, "Finite!"

To Hermione's surprise, the shadow on the ground revealed nothing. The magic was not dispelled. Instead, it stopped and rotated a quarter-circle about. Suddenly, the shadow began to grow taller giving it a form. When the growing stopped, the darkness melted away and revealed a young teenage boy around her age standing before her. He had long messy dark brown hair, black eyes, and tan skin. He had a sharp chin, strong jaws and a grin across his face. On his forehead was a jagged scar shaped like a lightning bolt.

"Hello, Hermione. I didn't expect you to actually come out of your room," the boy greeted.

Hermione took a step back and was fairly confused. She had never met this boy before, yet, he knew her name. Suddenly, the boy's hair turned black and he pulled out contacts that revealed his brilliant emerald green eyes. From his robes, he pulled out a pair of glasses with large round lenses and wore them. "Who are you?" Hermione asked as she took a step back with her wand still poised at the boy.

"Sorry! I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Harry Potter," the boy said as he put out his hand to greet Hermione.

She stood there with a frown. Hermione did not recognize the name Harry Potter, so why would he know who she is? "Hermione Granger, but you already know that…" she replied slowly as she shook the boy's hand. "Wait, how did you get into the girls tower of Ravenclaw?"

The boy smiled and replied, "Good question! I don't really know. Old man Bal just tossed me randomly into Hogwarts. I actually ended up in the showers so I decided to sneak out. But I did not expect that you would actually come out of your room."

"How do you know this is Hogwarts? I've never seen you once in my life."

"I was supposed to come here for school, but things happened. I need to talk to Albus. I don't suppose he's here, is he?" Harry replied as he started walking down the stairs.

"Albus?" Hermione asked as she chased the boy down the stairs. A whirlwind of questions rocked through her mind as she tried to grasp onto who this 'Harry Potter' was. And it took Hermione well over a few moments to realize 'Albus' was the first name of Hogwart's current Headmaster. Few students were ever on first name basis with the headmaster of Hogwarts. But this boy just called Professor Dumbledore by his first name. "You mean Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts?"

"Yes, that Albus," Harry replied nonchalantly as he looked around. It almost looked as if he had a nostalgic look across his face as he examined every decoration along the stairway walls. There were a few times where he stopped and grinned as he examined a sculpture or painting. After a moment's pause, Harry would just continue bouncing happily down the stairway. "I suppose I should start calling him Professor Dumbledore, but that's just too long of a name. Albus is far easier to remember."

As Hermione reached the bottom of the stairwell, she saw several teachers rushing into the common room. "Where's the intruder!" Professor Flitwick cried out as he rushed to search the area.

"Alex?" the voice of Dumbledore asked when Harry showed himself. "Alexander Evans?"

"Hello, Albus. Uh… Long time no see?" the boy named Harry replied with a laugh. "Well, it's only been a few years since I last saw you. What year is it by the way?"

"You died!" Dumbledore cried out as he walked over to Harry. His eyes were wide in shock as if he saw a ghost.

Those words confused Hermione the most as she had never seen the Headmaster in shock before. Nor did she know why the Headmaster would cry out such a phrase to someone who just suddenly appeared into Hogwarts. Those words, however, made Hermione wonder if the boy was a threat to the lives of the students here in Hogwarts.

"Oh, that. It was just some random soldier Sal and I found to fake my death. No hard feelings, Albus, but it was necessary," Harry replied as he took a seat ignoring the other professors.

"Professor Dumbledore," Hermione voiced as she placed her hand over her wand. "This boy said his name was Harry Potter. Why did you call him Alexander Evans?"

A sudden gasp came from all the professors as they turned and stared at Hermione. Then turned to face Harry. "Oh. I forgot to mention that Alex was just a fake name Sal came up with," Harry said as he smiled. "How's Neville doing fulfilling the prophecy?"

Dumbledore quickly rushed over to Harry, grabbed the boy's arms and yanked him off his seat. Then they rushed off leaving everyone staring in awe. "How are you still alive?" Dumbledore questioned as the door shut behind them in his office.

"I thought I just explained that to you," Harry replied as he took a seat.

"No, you explained how Alexander Evans survived," Dumbledore replied with a frustrated tone. "How are you, Harry Potter, alive?"

"Well," Harry began as looked up and saw the ever so familiar portrait of Salazar Slytherin. "I don't suppose you said anything, have you, Sal?"

Dumbledore turned back and looked up at the portrait of Salazar Slytherin that Harry was talking to. "You don't mean that Sal is…"

"Took you long enough, Albus," a snide voice replied. "You know, I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to ask."

"Couldn't you have just made my life easier and explained everything to Albus _before_ I got here?" Harry complained to the portrait.

"No. Where's the fun in that?" Salazar snickered.

"What is going on?" Dumbledore asked interrupting the conversation between Harry and the founder.

"You explain, Sal," Harry said as he crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

"Fine. Harry is a Planeswalker. When Voldemort was about to kill Harry, Harry jumped into the Plane of Time in which he ended up in _my _care thanks to a crazy old git. I don't mean you, Albus. You're crazy, but not a git." Dumbledore laughed to that statement recognizing how true it was. "Let's just say that I raised him for a while before we began our little adventure across time. Our meeting during the war with Grendalwald was the last adventure Harry and I were on together."

"What ever did happen to you after that?" Harry asked curiously as he looked towards one of the four famous Founders of Hogwarts.

"Oh, nothing much. I became Headmaster. Then got married and started a family," Salazar replied simply as he stroked his chin. "Maybe one day you will meet them."

Harry glared at Salazar. One of the few things he hated about the Founder was that Salazar always hid a second meaning in his words. "So that is how Voldemort came to be your heir?"

"No. He is not my heir. Tom is a descendant of one of my sons that I disowned for the reason I will not divulge at the moment. Thus he has no claim on my heirloom. And just for the record, my heir is a girl who is living in this time."

Harry let out a scowl and turned away from his guardian. "Don't bother asking, Albus. Sal won't respond. He's an old man who enjoys to make others burn out their minds with his riddles."

Salazar let out a laugh which shocked Dumbledore. The Founder never once showed an ounce of emotion before. "What are you going to do now, Alex. Or rather, Harry," Dumbledore asked as he regained his composure.

"You can call me Alex if you want, Albus. I really don't mind. It has been my name for quite a long time." Salazar nodded agreeing with Harry's statement. "But I've come back; or rather, Bal finally put me back into the time I belong so I can stop Voldemort."

Dumbledore eyed Harry curiously wondering why Harry would make that last statement. "Neville was the one prophesied to kill Voldemort…" Dumbledore began.

"That's true. Neville will eventually kill Voldemort, but Neville does not have the 'power he knows not'. I have the mark," Harry said as he lifted his hair to reveal his lightning shaped scar. "If I recall correctly, Voldemort was to mark me as his equal. Neville doesn't have a single scratch on his body. Without me, there is no way any of you can fight Voldemort on even ground."

"You know, Alex, this changes things," Dumbledore stated as he stroked his beard.

"Not really. Just have Neville continue to do the things he's doing. My name is not famous so who would know that I'm the other one prophesied as the savior?"

"What will you tell the world?" Dumbledore asked as he tossed his eyes at Harry.

"Nothing. They can guess and make up all the stories they want. I really don't care. I'm just here to take the O.W.L.s and get into the Auror track." Harry replied with a shrug as he began to fiddle around with anything interesting he put his hands on that was lying on Dumbledore's desk.

"Don't worry, Albus. I made sure Harry was well trained," Salazar said with a smile across his face that made Harry throw another glare at the Founder.

Dumbledore looked at Harry and Salazar wondering about their relationship. "I will place my trust in your judgment and place Harry with the fifth years. Can I safely assume Harry will be joining your house?"

"NO!" Harry shouted adamantly. And to Dumbledore's surprise, so did Salazar.

"Ravenclaw." Salazar recommended regaining his composure.

"I'm not that studious!" Harry cried out in objection. "Gryffindor!"

"You'd destroy the school if you were in Gryffindor!" Salazar cried back in defense.

Dumbledore thought of suggesting Hufflepuff, but doubted Harry would be one to get along with everyone. Harry was the adventurous type as well as a first-class prankster. So that left only one way to determine where Harry would be. The Sorting Hat. "We'll just put on the Sorting Hat on Harry's head and let it decide where Harry goes," Dumbledore suggested through the arguing.

"Fine!" the boy and the founder cried out in agreement. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore brought the sorting hat onto his desk and let Harry put the old hat upon his head.

"I'm just curious, Salazar, but why is it that you do not want Harry in your house? You house can make him great!" the hat asked.

"I just don't want to see his ugly mug every day," Salazar replied with a grunt.

"You know, I must agree!" Harry sneered at the founder.

"Ravenclaw is also a good choice, but I fear Harry is far too lazy," the hat commented. Salazar scowled while Harry cheered. "I'm afraid I must place Harry in Gryffindor." Harry roared in victory as Salazar placed his head in his hand and shook it. Harry jumped out of his chair and started a victory dance mocking Salazar.

"Albus, I pray that you have some strong wards that can keep this castle from collapsing." Salazar gave as a warning to the current Headmaster. His tone was serious, but Salazar could not help but roll his eyes and shake his head while Harry mockingly did his victory dance.

Dumbledore eyed the portrait wondering if things could really be that bad. "Well, you will need robes and school supplies and a room to stay in."

"No. Do not give Harry _any_ potion supplies. Merlin knows what new concoctions Harry will brew up," Salazar warned. "This is the person who came up with a potion that makes a person immune to Veritaserum for life. And also the person who created a fireball in a flask. That was one of his more deadly achievements."

"Then why should Harry enroll into the fifth year?" Dumbledore asked curiously. There were few people Salazar Slytherin would praise and if Dumbledore heard him right, Salazar actually held great respect for Harry. Dumbledore flicked his eye and saw Harry who was still dancing his victory dance with the Sorting Hat on his head.

"Because this damn brat has yet to learn how to cast spells with a damn wand. You may recall Harry carrying around a spellbook in the forties," Salazar replied. "He will need a temporary wand as Balthazar sealed his wand away in time."

"Harry still uses magic of the old ways?" Dumbledore asked as Harry finally stopped dancing.

"I wouldn't call it old ways," Harry corrected as he sat down and removed the hat. "It would be more accurate to say it was forbidden. After the First Muggle War in 106 A.D., the counsel of Wizards deemed wandless magic too devastating to use again."

Dumbledore nodded understanding Harry's argument. There were three wars which Wizardkind fought Muggles so far. The first was by far the most devastating. And now Dumbledore knew why. But how did Harry know?

"That was partially your fault," Salazar spat at Harry.

"Well, I was just trying out my altered fireball spell. I didn't think that it would destroy the _entire_ Muggle army…" Harry replied.

"When do you ever think, boy?" Salazar shot at Harry.

"Good point. I usually don't," Harry replied with a grin. "Oh, Albus, if you're wondering, we were at just about every magical war since the dawn of humankind. The old git, Bal, thought it'd be fun to send us to each and every one."

Dumbledore just nodded in agreement. There was nothing he could say. He had no knowledge of what Harry knew nor could Dumbledore understand why Harry was sent into the past instead of growing up in the present. "How did you stay in your fifteen year old body?"

"Oh, easy. I nicked the Philosopher's Stone from Flamel. He thinks he lost it for a day, but we've actually used it for over five centuries. Or was it closer to six?" Harry replied with a grin.

"FIVE!" Dumbledore cried out jumping in his chair. "OVER five centuries?"

"Something like that," Harry said as he scratched his head. "You don't remember the exact amount, do you, Sal?"

"Too long to count," the founder replied. "Didn't bother either, seeing how we were sent from one war to the next. The only break we had was when we went to steal the stone and return it. And the fourteen years I was left to raise you. I think you should send the boy away before he gives you a heart attack, Albus."

But before Dumbledore could act, the door into his office slammed open and a man with cold, angry eyes, oily long black hair, a crow-like nose and a frown stormed in. His strides were as silent as the wind catching his robes as the trailed behind him. He suddenly stopped before Harry, grabbed the collar of his shirt and asked in a dark, snide voice, "Are you Harry James Potter?"

Harry turned to the founder, but Salazar had returned to his natural position and looked over Harry with an indifferent look. To Harry, that just meant Salazar was too amused by Harry's situation to do anything and wanted to watch how Harry would handle it alone. He then turned to Dumbledore who slammed both palms onto his desk and shouted, "Severus, let go of Harry!"

"No, Albus!" the man shouted back at the Headmaster, but never took his eyes off of Harry. "Stay out of this. I don't care what I must promise to you, but I want an answer from this boy. Are you Harry James Potter?"

"Yes," Harry answered simply as he blinked his eyes in confusion. Why did this man- no. Why would anyone not believe the word of Albus Dumbledore? Curious, Harry attempted to peer into the man's mind and encountered something which he never had come across before.

"Don't you dare peer into my mind, boy," the man named Severus ordered coldly as he had somehow managed to block Harry's ability to peer into other's minds. Apparently, it was not as flawless as Harry had though it was. "Who are you, imposter? Who are you to assume the form of Harry Potter?"

"Look, I really am Harry Potter," Harry answered as honestly as he possibly could, however he doubted he could make the man trust him as he had violated the first rule of gaining another person's trust: give them no reason for mistrust. Suddenly, it occurred to Harry that he had one thing he could show that might prove his identity. "I have a scar on my forehead which was placed there when Voldemort attacked my home in Godric's Hollow killing my parents!"

The man's eyes went wide as he saw the lightning shaped scar on Harry's forehead. Immediately, Severus let go of Harry, spun around and walked out of the room as silently as he came in. For a few moments longer, Harry just stared at the invisible trail the man left. There were many questions in his mind, none of which had any answers. However, there were people in this room who might know the answers.

"Oh, Professor McGonagall," Salazar spoke quickly before Harry had a chance to voice his question. "This here is Mister Harry Potter, and from what I gather, he is a known figure of some sort. As of this moment, he has been placed into the House of Gryffindor, which you are the head of."

"Oh, my!" Professor McGonagall let out a cry. "So the rumors were true!"

"Yes, they were," Salazar answered formally. "Since Mister Potter has been sorted into your house, would you be as kind as to show Mister Potter to his dormitory?"

"Of course," Professor McGonagall answered with a kind and gentle smile before guiding an even more confused Harry out of the Headmaster's office.

"I suppose you have a fairly good reason for this?" Dumbledore asked the founder.

"Of course," Salazar responded. "It's just as good as a reason as why you haven't told Neville everything there is to know about the destiny forced upon his shoulders."

"Very well," Dumbledore spoke, accepting Salazar's response. "I suppose you would know what is best for Harry."

"Unfortunately, I don't," Salazar replied honestly as he stared at the door where Harry had left. "I can only hope I am doing what is right for him at the moment."

Dumbledore could not help but turn towards the legendary Founder and stare at him. Although Salazar Slytherin was not the wisest of the four, he was always confident in his actions. At least that was how history spoke of this particular Founder. Yet, before him, Dumbledore saw hesitance and uncertainty in the Founder. Portraits only contain an imprint of the best known personality of the person sitting inside the portrait. Salazar Slytherin was best known for anything but hesitant and uncertain, why would he be showing those traits now? It made the portrait seem, for a lack of a better word, human.

* * *

Harry followed Professor McGonagall down the halls of Hogwarts which he was all too familiar with. For the first fourteen years of his life with Salazar, Harry lived within these walls. It was then Harry had met the other three Founders of Hogwarts: Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff. Godric was four years Salazar's senior during the time in which Harry lived at Hogwarts. The two were the best any two friends could be, however, what Godric did not know was that Salazar aspired to be like him. Noble. Just. Charismatic. Best in magic. Everything Salazar had trained himself to be, Godric was better. Then there was Helga who was the same age as Salazar. She was tall, beautiful, kind and loving. Harry loved Helga as she was the most caring person Harry had ever known (considering he spent nearly all his life fighting in wars). Harry remembered Helga gently waking him up in the morning before serving him breakfast. She would end up late to her first Herbology class of the day, but Helga was the type of person who wanted to help everyone as much as she could. It made Harry wonder if he had ever seen Helga angry before. Finally, there was Rowena. She was the youngest of the four, being six years Salazar's junior, but her wisdom and intelligence outmatched the three other Founders combined. She was the one Harry spent the most time with Rowena as she was the one who liked to teach most out of the four founders. Rowena was also the one who had the least experience teaching as well as working with others. She enjoyed gathering new information or creating new innovations so much that majority of the time, her face was hidden behind large round glasses and her wild bushy hair she neglects to tame. Even Rowena's robes were not well taken care of. If it weren't for Helga, Rowena would wear the same robes each day no matter how crumpled they were.

Those were the days of innocence. The days before Harry knew of his destiny. The days when he could wander the halls he called home without a care in the world. As Harry brushed his right hand against the warm enchanted walls of Hogwarts, he almost felt as if he really was fifteen years old again. He wished he could be. Harry wished he could be the age of those he would have to guide through the war. To be in their generation and enjoy the popular games and stories of their time. Also, Harry wanted to know what it was like entering Hogwarts as a student. Harry never had that experience as he grew up in Hogwarts.

The construction of Hogwarts just began as Harry arrived as an infant. Salazar was only fifteen when Harry landed in his arms. Despite his youth, Salazar had gained much prestige along with Godric, Helga and Rowena as the four were pivotal in bringing an end to the Third Muggle War with minimal bloodshed six months prior to Harry's arrival. It took ten years before the construction of the initial Hogwarts Castle was finished. Additions to the castle, such as the changing stairways were added in the years to come as Hogwarts expanded to include more courses and students. Harry, having been taught by the four founders since he was under their care, was not allowed to enroll because he would be ahead of all the students.

Now, centuries after the construction of Hogwarts and centuries of travel later, Harry finally returns to the Gryffindor Tower with a pack of used books to study from. After Professor McGonagall left, Harry sat down and looked through the first book of charms. Salazar had taught Harry the use of magic with wands, but Harry was far from proficient. The main reason was Harry never had a chance to use his wand in combat. Or any wand in a matter of fact. Harry was taught to control wandless magic with ancient incantations that he memorized instead of the normal Latin incantations taught at Hogwarts. He was glad he retained his fifteen year old body for so long as it allowed Harry to learn continuously without ever hitting the mental block many witches and wizards hit as they grow older.

Of course Harry was also taught the use of modern technology while he was sent to another world for a few years. As well as a possible future. Balthazar had purposely made sure Harry would not learn the course of the current war as it has not happened yet. Not entirely. The war was already set in motion, but the outcome still remained in the hands of the participants. And Harry was one of the key players of this war.

As Harry slumped into his bed, he saw a flash of red hair enter his room. "Hello Ron, Ginny, Fred and George," Harry greeted the four redheads before they could introduce themselves. "McGonagall told me," Harry lied before they could ask. He had learned their names through one of his misadventures through time. One Harry wished to keep secret at the moment. "Harry Potter."

"Welcome to Gryffindor," Ron said as he shook Harry's hand. "Blimley! That's a nasty scar!" he cried out as he noticed the lightning shaped scar on Harry's forehead.

"Yeah. This is part of the reason why I missed my first five years here," Harry replied as he shook the hands of the other three Weasleys.

"Are you a fifth year?" Ginny asked.

"Yup. Here to take my O.W.L.s."

"Can you perform spells?" Fred asked.

"Course. What kind of wizard would I be if I couldn't?"

"Care to show us?" George asked.

Harry smiled as he was waiting for someone to ask. "Sure." From a pouch, Harry pulled out a worn book and dashed to a window. "You might want to cover your ears," Harry said with a grin.

"How is that book going to help? Don't you need a wand?" Ron asked.

But Harry was already halfway through his incantation. When he finished, Harry shot out his right hand pointing into the sky. For a moment, nothing happened. Then a sudden explosion of fire ripped through the air. Warm wind pushed violently against Harry and the Weasleys and the roaring sound of the explosion muffled their ears. The four redheads fell back with their hands over their ears while Harry just stood watching the explosion as if it was something normal. When the fireball passed, Harry turned to face the four siblings and smiled. "Book of spells."

"HARRY POTTER!" the voice of Professor McGonagall shouted down the hallway.

"Time for me to bolt!" Harry said as he jumped out the window.

"Where is he?" McGonagall asked with fury across her face. The four siblings just pointed out the window. She quickly ran to the window and saw Harry waving on the ground. McGonagall turned around and rushed out of the Gryffindor tower to catch Harry.

"That was bloody brilliant!" Fred and George cried in unison.

"I wonder if we can learn that!" Ron said with excitement flowing through his body.

"You know how dangerous that spell is, don't you?" Ginny said voicing reason. However, Ginny was smiling like the rest of her brothers. She wanted to learn the spell as well.

"It's forbidden magic," Harry's voice said at the doorway. They all turned in shock wondering how he climbed the tower so quickly. And avoided Professor McGonagall. No one has ever gotten past the deputy Headmistress. Or gotten away for that matter. "But I'd doubt that will stop you all from learning it," Harry added with a grin. He pulled out a second book from the same pouch and tossed it into the hands of the twins. "Do be careful. You wouldn't want _them_ to notices."

* * *

**Author's Note: **I found that majority of the spells in the Harry Potter books do very little physical damage and was fairly dissapointed as they seemed weak. So in this fic, I decided to make wandless magic far more volatile. Spells do damage people physically, as majority of the spells are elemental based; but there are also spells to boost the user's abilities like increase in agility or strength and spells that protect the user for a time period rather than holding up 'Protego' and faced with the inability to attack. 


	2. Relic of the Past

Chapter 02: Relic of the Past

* * *

Hermione found it odd that Ron and his twin older brothers would be studying on a Sunday morning. Those three never studied. Even Neville was better than those three. At least Neville began studying a week before exams. Ron usually waited until the day before to begin cramming. But Ron had skipped breakfast and Ginny informed Hermione that Ron was 'studying'.

"Well, if it isn't the Mudblood. Where's your two bloodtraitor friends?" the distinct voice of Draco Malfoy asked.

"So, Malfoy, come to confirm that you have an intelligence lesser than that of a flobberworm?" Hermione retorted as she continued her breakfast.

"How can a Mudblood like you determine someone else's intellect? You barely have one of your own. I wonder how it is you got into Ravenclaw," Malfoy shot back.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the self proclaimed prince of Slytherin," a new voice entered. "You know, using the same insult over and over again just proves how low your intellect is. Insults like that are hardly worth receiving the title of 'prince'."

Hermione and Draco turned to see the newest student of Hogwarts. Harry Potter. "Who are you?" Draco asked as he studied Harry.

"I'm the Prince of Mischief. Self proclaimed of course," Harry replied with a grin.

"Mister Potter! Get back to the Gryffindor table before you start causing any trouble!" the voice of McGonagall ordered. "You too, Mister Malfoy." Draco let out a scowl before turning back.

When the two boys left, Hermione turned back to her breakfast and found a note by her plate. She picked it up and read it.

_So, how did you like the fireball? Cool isn't it? I can show you how to perform one. –Harry Potter _

Hermione turned and saw Harry who sat at the Gryffindor table looking her direction. He gave her a wink before Hermione turned back rolling her eyes. She knew from the moment she met Harry that he would be nothing but trouble. She only hoped Ron had not befriended Harry.

Suddenly, Harry appeared in the seat next to her. "Nothing but trouble huh?" Harry said as he chomped down on his breakfast.

"How did you!" Hermione cried out as she turned back and saw Harry was not there.

"Magic." Harry replied as he finished his cereal.

Hermione stared at Harry fairly confused and annoyed at his answer. What kind of magic did Harry use to get from one side of the room to the other in a matter of seconds? There was no possible way Harry could have Apparated as Apparation was impossible inside of Hogwarts. "Not possible!" Hermione cried out as she racked her brain for an answer.

"It is. But I doubt you can figure it out with the knowledge here. The last Planeswalker was Salazar Slytherin and this magic has been lost for centuries," Harry whispered to Hermione before getting out of his seat.

"Harry Potter!" the voice of McGonagall shouted again.

"Time to run!" Harry said as he dashed out of the Great Hall quickly before the Transfiguration Professor could catch up.

"It would be best if you did not befriend Mister Potter, Miss Granger. That one is nothing but trouble," Professor McGonagall told Hermione before turning and walking back towards Dumbledore. Dumbledore had a smile across his face clearly enjoying Harry's sporadic behavior. "Can't you do anything about Harry, Albus?" She asked as she sat down next to the headmaster.

"I'm afraid I cannot. The only one who can control Harry has past away I believe," Dumbledore replied carefully hoping McGonagall did not figure out Salazar Slytherin was the one he was referring to. "Minerva, trying to catch Harry is impossible. Believe me, I've tried. He's no danger to the students."

"But Albus, you saw the spell he cast yesterday!" McGonagall protested quickly. "There's not a single piece of information about that spell in this school!"

"That is because the spell is one performed without a wand," Dumbledore replied as he sipped from his goblet. "When the time comes, I will reveal all I know about Harry. For now, let's just watch over him."

"Are you sure that's a wise decision? He may begin to influence the students. The Weasley Twins are trouble enough already. What if they come under Harry's influence?" McGonagall asked worriedly.

"Yes, Fred and George Weasley are a pair of troublemakers, however, Harry will not be a bad influence upon them," Dumbledore answered. "As I stated before, when the time comes, I will reveal all that I know."

"Very well," McGonagall relented with a sigh. There was nothing she could do except trust the Headmaster.

* * *

Harry dashed down the hallway and found himself at the entrance to the Slytherin Tower. "Hey Sal!" Harry shouted out.

"What do you want, Hairball?" Salazar grunted as he yawned.

"How do I get to Hufflepuff?"

"Looking for Neville?" Salazar inquired.

"Yeah. This damn place is like a maze. Why didn't you make a map for this damn place?"

"You used to know this like the back of your hand," Salazar grinned in response. "You're not suffering from old age, are you?"

"That was a long time ago! Almost everything's changed! What remains the same only remains the same in that the room or hall has not changed, but the location has!" Harry ranted in response. "Couldn't you have made a map that would log all the changes over the years?"

"Well, where's the fun in that? I wouldn't be able to get idiots like you lost." The founder was smiling as he knew Harry was lost.

"You know, if you were alive, I'd jinx you right now!" Harry sneered with malice.

"Then I'll be waiting."

Harry frowned to Salazar's last statement. If Harry knew Salazar, that last statement meant that Salazar was still alive. But Harry was also a Planeswalker that could step through the gates of time. So this would mean that Harry might meet Salazar in the past. "Damn you and your love of riddles!"

"If you used that soggy brain of yours for once, you might just be able to figure it out!"

"Are you going to tell me or just continue to insult me?"

"Continue to insult you," Salazar replied without a thought.

Harry just turned away and closed his eyes to concentrate. The greatest part about Planeswalking was that Harry could move across great distances without wasting too much time. This was different than Apparating which was an instantaneous teleportation. Planeswalking allowed a Planeswalker to step into an Elemental Plane. There existed quite a few and Harry was well verse in moving through the Elemental Planes of Wind, Water, Fire, and Shadow. He could also move through the Planes of Light, Earth and Thunder, but some difficulty. Others like the Ethereal Plane was impossible to move through since Harry loathed the creatures that lurked in that plane.

In a few moments of time, Harry found the shadow of Neville and immediately walked into the plane. It was simple to move through the Plane of Shadow since Harry used it the most. He appeared next to Neville a moment later surprising The-Boy-Who-Lived. "Hello, Neville. I'm Harry Potter," Harry greeted as he held out a hand.

"Um… Hello, Harry Potter," Neville replied uneasily. Although he was famous, Neville had never gotten use to the idea. He was also wondering how Harry had entered the Hufflepuff Tower without anyone seeing him enter.

"Don't bother trying to figure out. Even Hermione couldn't," Harry said quickly. Thanks to Salazar, Harry was skilled in Legilimancy and Occlumency. He had mixed the two with a telepathy spell he had learned and this gave Harry the permanent ability to probe surface thoughts of people's minds. "So, how's it like being The-Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Horrible," Neville answered honestly. Harry could see that Neville was no longer as lively as he once was. His eyes were dull and sad. He slouched over and moved sluggishly. Harry did not need to ask anyone to know that Voldemort was winning this war. And winning by a lot.

It only took a moment for Harry to see the memories of the friends and family members of Neville that have died through this ordeal. The one that stood out was the death of an older boy named Cedric Diggory. "Neville, I may not be the right person to tell you this, but none of this is your fault. This is a war, Neville. The harsh reality is that people close to you will be killed or sacrificed. If you cannot find the strength to pull through this, then the world will fall. As cruel as this may sound, the fate of the world is on your shoulders. However, you are not alone. You have friends, Neville. Rely on them. Being an idiot and trying to solve everything alone is just stupid."

Neville looked up at Harry and some life returned into his eyes. Harry had gotten Neville to think rather than sulk, and this was a beginning. Over the five or six hundred years of wars Harry fought, he had learned several things. One of which was to rely on your friends. Without support, a person will fall over and crumble. "Who are you?" Neville asked.

"I am Harry Potter. The other boy who lived," Harry whispered in response as he lifted his hair to show off his scar. "Voldemort came after both of us." Neville cringed to the name, which Harry found annoying. "You are the one chosen to kill him. I am just here for support."

Neville looked around and found no one there in the common room. "There can't be two boys who lived."

"That is why I disappeared," Harry replied. "The killing curse that rebounded off of you that nearly killed Voldemort burn in this scar for me."

"Why did you return?"

"I'm not quite sure," Harry replied honestly. He did not have to return. Even now, Harry could chose to walk away. Neville had almost everything he needed to win. Luck was on his side. Harry's intervention would only further complicate the war. It would upset the balance of power. Yet, Harry was choosing to interfere. Interfere in a war that he could just walk away from. A war which Harry did not have to participate in. It was his chance to finally walk away from war, yet Harry decided to return. "Perhaps it's because I feel that it's my duty as a person and a wizard to aid those fighting to defeat Voldemort."

"Duty? Then is it my duty to fight Voldemort?" Neville asked in response to Harry's answer.

"No, Neville, it was never your duty, but it became your destiny," Harry answered.

"Destiny. How does anyone know that it's my destiny? People place so much faith upon me but what if I fail? What if I betray the world?" Neville asked out of fear.

"Only time can tell you the answer to your question," Harry decided to respond. "Soon, you will learn the truth of your destiny and why it is your destiny. Afterwards, the day of open war will be upon us, Neville. You will be forced to lead your friends into battle. Think carefully on how you want to proceed. Think of what you can do to achieve your goal. Let the historians worry about whether or not you betrayed the world."

As Harry walked away, he voiced in his mind wanted to say to Neville:

_It was never your duty, Neville. At least not originally. It became your destiny, but before that, it was the duty of the adults to defeat Voldemort in the first war. They neglected their duty out of fear, thus a Prophecy was born. The Prophecy was Earth's last resort to restore order and balance. A resort that had to be used because the adults feared death and responsibility. It was never your duty to fight Voldemort. If the adults of the world would stop living their lie, your destiny would be lifted from your shoulders. But they continue to neglect their duties. When the time comes for the truth to be revealed, the world will be in disarray. The adults would remember the fear they once experienced, but this time they will choose to place the burden upon your shoulders. _

However, Neville was not ready to hear those words yet. He would not understand them because Neville had not heard the Prophecy. The Prophecy was key to understanding why people turned to him for leadership and hope. It was a harsh view on Neville's role, but it was the reality of Neville's role. Harry watched over the first war with Voldemort. He could not interfere because the events of that war could not be changed by him. If Harry attempted to change it, Balthasar would intervene. As Harry observed the pervious war, he watched as witches and wizards who opposed Voldemort's reign remain neutral due to fear. Harry saw the world allow Voldemort's reign of terror because there was a belief that someone else will come along and do the job.

The logic of those who remained neutral was flawed and the unity of the world was shattered. The balance of good and evil shifted to one side and the world slowly descended into chaos and anarchy. The world cannot remain in order while it is tilted to one side, good or evil. Both must exist in balance for Earth to survive. With every good deed done, an equivalent evil deed existed to counterbalance the world. A perfectly good world doesn't exist for the world would collapse due to ideals that cannot exist solely on their own. Ideals such as complete equality. Equality is discovered through a comparison of good and bad. Eliminate the bad, then the comparison is gone. Without the comparison, equality disappears as everything would be the same. With everything being the same, there would be no progress. Typically, the bad were what people sought to improve. The good, people try to keep static allowing the bad to improve.

This was what Harry saw during the war. All the wars Harry fought in destroyed precious resources and killed too many lives to be worth it. Economies were crippled by the amount of money and resources needed for war. Countries collapsed after war and were wiped out of existence, at least in Europe. They cycle repeated itself. One country, in their arrogance, believed that their system of government, or their bloodline reigned supreme and sought to 'spread' it to the 'barbaric lands'. To do so, they set out to conquer through war. What Harry discovered was that the wars sought to conquer sometimes destroyed some of the good in the world while often times leaving more evil.

The war Neville was destined to fight was very much the same. Voldemort, as evil as he was, would not bring about the evil that would come when the war reached its climax and end. Voldemort would bring about the death and destruction of the little good left in this world. The good that survived the war would be tainted with evil. Innocent lives will be lost and families will be destroyed. That was war. Those that have to survive losing their family to war would never be the same. Those strong enough will look towards a brighter future. Others will succumb to hatred or sorrow and seeds of evil will be planted inside of them. In most cases, those seeds sprout and blossom. Harry only hoped that Neville was strong enough, not just for himself, but his closest friends as well.

* * *

Harry disappeared as quickly as he came. There was one more person Harry needed to speak with before returning to the Gryffindor Tower. Harry found Draco and his gang of Slytherin followers walking down an empty corridor to the Slytherin Tower. "Draco Malfoy!" Harry called out gaining the attention of the Slytherin Prince.

"What do you want, Potter?" Draco spat.

"To ask you a question. I think it would be best if you sent your friends away, but they can stay and listen if they want," Harry replied casually.

Draco eyed Harry for a moment wondering what it was Harry wanted to ask while debating whether to send his gang away. "Ask. I will end up telling them anyways," Draco decided to say.

"Fine. Are you with Voldemort?" Harry asked directly. However, Harry did not need Draco to respond to know the answer. He was already probing the Slytherin's mind.

Draco was taken back by the question and the use of the name of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The truth was Draco was not sure. His allegiance lies with his family and since his father is a Death Eater, Draco assumed he would be made one as well. There was little Draco could do to avoid the path his father had chosen for him. "I'm not a Death Eater," Draco decided to reply.

"Good. I hope you don't ever become one. I'd hate to fight someone like you," Harry said as he walked passed the group of Slytherins without a care. "Think carefully on the path you take, Draco, not the one forced onto you. Only then will you earn respect."

Draco turned and stared down the hall where Harry walked. Not a single person moved until Harry disappeared around the corner. "Your father will want to know about this conversation," Pansy stated.

"Don't tell me what to do, Pansy," Draco shot back. He had meant to speak in a threatening voice, but after meeting Harry, he was too confused. The threat came out more like a request.

A part of him he hid away was returning. Draco shook his head and turned back down the hall to the Slytherin Tower. _Could I escape from my father's path? _Draco began to ask himself once more. _Could I achieve the strength, power and respect my father possesses?_ Those were the questions Draco had asked himself when he was younger, but stopped when his father had told him he could not escape. Draco always believed that this was his destiny, but something about Harry's words began to change his thinking.

Draco then decided he wanted to know more. Or perhaps it was to confirm that the hope he found in Harry's words were true. Breaking away from his group without a word, Draco walked down the path Harry had taken. His followers hesitated for a moment, wondering if they should follow, but Draco was already dashing past another corner before they could follow.

Draco did not want them to follow. His father taught him all his life that hope was a weakness. Hope was a gamble that could not be trusted to yield the desired result. What one needed was cold hard facts to provide certainty. Certainty was what Lucius Malfoy trusted and tried to pass onto Draco, but unlike his father, Draco wanted the freedom of shaping his own destiny. He wanted to be strong and powerful and obtain the strength and power on his own. Draco no longer wanted his father to hand him his strength and power. Inheritance does not guarantee respect. Respect was earned and Draco was respected only by the respect his father owned. Alone, Draco was nothing. He had nothing.

Harry's words gave Draco gave him hope, something he was trained to instinctively dismiss. But the hope was too strong to dismiss. More so than his hope, Draco's will and pride demanded that he seek out Harry and take the gamble. Lucius had to have been like Draco once, weak, powerless and without respect. To change, Lucius must have taken a gamble that could destroy him. A gamble that was a great challenge. A gamble based on hope and faith. If Lucius succeeded, then as his son, Draco will succeed as well.

"Those are nice determined eyes, Draco," the voice of Harry Potter complemented before walking out of the shadows behind Draco. Draco quickly spun around with his wand drawn and poised at Harry. "Did you want something from me?"

"Answers," Draco responded. "What do your words mean?"

"About what?" Harry asked innocently and made no move to defend himself and by the look of him, Draco noted that there was a high chance Harry was without a wand.

"What path am I to take?" Draco elaborated. "You said to think carefully on my path."

"That is your decision, Draco," Harry answered with a smile. "There are plenty of paths in your future, but ultimately it affects only one event. War."

"Which path will I gain the most respect from? Siding with Neville or Voldemort?" Draco dared to ask. He spoke with confidence and determination to receive a definite answer, but he knew that it did not matter what Harry's answer was, Draco would still have to place blind hope and faith on one path.

"That sort of thinking will only get you as far as your father," Harry answered Draco. "Your father chose Voldemort because he believed that Voldemort would make him strong, powerful and respected. Your father chose to gain respect from only purebloods by siding with a wizard whose goal is to, for a lack of a better word, 'purify' the magical community. Perhaps that was all your father thought mattered, but you aren't your father, are you?"

Draco looked into Harry's eyes, attempting to find the answer he was seeking. When Draco could not find it, he sought for the meaning Harry was trying to convey in his words. But even then, they were too difficult. All Draco knew Harry was saying was that Lucius had set a limit for himself.

"Are you telling me to set a higher limit for myself?" Draco decided to ask.

"No, don't set a higher limit," Harry replied with a satisfied smile. "Find out your ultimate goal and use whatever methods necessary to achieve it."

"Even if it means betrayal?"

"Like I stated, choose your path wisely," Harry answered cryptically before he walked away. Draco stood silently staring at where Harry had stood and though about Harry's words.

"I am the shaper of my own destiny," Draco concluded to himself with a smile.

* * *

Harry walked down the halls in his black robes. He had yet to purchase the correct color robes that matched the Gryffindor colors, but Harry was not too concerned. Harry did not actually belong to any houses. Harry was raised during the time Hogwarts was built by the founders. Later, Harry returned with Salazar and Salazar had to disguise himself so his younger self would not recognize him. Harry was admitted into Hogwarts under a false name and under Salazar's orders. When he placed on the hat, the hat was confused and did not sort Harry into any of the house. It just so happened that war broke out that evening and Harry was dragged into it like every other war.

If Harry had a wand, he could have easily changed his robes, but that was one of the things he still needed to get. Balthazar had taken his wand away from him forcing Harry to learn to control wandless magic. It annoyed Harry to no end, but Salazar stated it was necessary. In the end, Harry found wandless magic far better than magic using a wand. But the one weakness of wandless magic was that it drained the energy from the user.

Magic cast with the aid of a magical medium like a wand's magical core drained little away from the user. Magical cores absorbed energy from the world around to create the spells. With wandless magic, energy is taken directly from the caster which makes the strength of the spell reflective upon the strength of the caster. A powerful caster can create devastating spells although lower level. Like Harry's fireball for example. A normal fireball has a radius of twenty feet, but Harry's can grow up to two miles long if he wished it. But that would drain all his energy in one blast. This was all thanks to the hundreds of years of building up his magical energy.

Luckily for Harry, no one alive enforces the ban on wandless magic. Since it was forbidden well over a millennium ago and these spell incantations were destroyed for secrecy, wandless magic was gone from the world. At least the art of controlling it is. All wizards and witches are able to use wandless magic, but none can control them. Not even Dumbledore.

As Harry turned to make his way to the Gryffindor Tower, he bumped into someone and heard a crash as his glasses fell. "Sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," Harry quickly apologized as he struggled to get his glasses back on. Harry was legally blind without his glasses on. Unfortunately for Harry, his eyes were cursed when he received the scar and no amount of laser surgery or magical healing could fix it. When he finally got his glasses back on, Harry found that he had bumped into Hermione Granger. "Let me help," Harry said quickly as he knelt down and stacked all her books into a neat stack.

Hermione let Harry stack her books while she stared at him wondering who and what he is. There was no one like Harry who entered Hogwarts at the end of the fifth year. Nor was there any record of Planeswalkers in the library. "Who or what are you?" Hermione asked as Harry lifted her books into his arms. "No one can move across the Great Hall within a moment of time! Not even Professor Dumbledore! As for Planewalkers, there are no traces of it in any of the books! So tell me, Harry, if that's even your real name, who are what are you?"

"Who I am is Harry James Potter, which is my real name. What I am is a human wizard," Harry replied simply.

Hermione frowned, not expecting such a vague and confusing answer. "That doesn't explain how you do the things you do. There's more about you than meets the eye."

"You can say that for just about everyone," Harry shot back. Unless his opponent was as good with words as Salazar, there was no way they could win. Plus Harry had an advantage. "You will understand who I am one day, Hermione. For now, I'm just Harry Potter, a fifteen year old boy studying for the O.W.L.s."

Hermione eyed Harry curiously. Never had there been a person who could evade all her questions. Then again, she had Neville and Ron as best friends and those two weren't the brightest of people. You could go as far as to say that they might be the dullest of people when it comes to intelligence. "How do you know me?"

"Secret," Harry replied. "I will only tell you once I have gained your trust."

Hermione frowned at Harry. Usually the phrase was used the other way around. For a moment, Hermione wondered if she had met Harry before. "The way you talk makes it seem like we've met before."

Harry debated whether or not to make Hermione even more confused, but decided to say, "We're strangers, so you wouldn't trust me. But I am willing to place my trust in you in hopes that one day you will trust me."

"What if I betray you?"

Harry just shrugged. "So what? You have your reasons for doing what you did and I trust your judgment. But even after the betrayal, I will still trust you."

Hermione laughed in mockery. "That's easy to say."

"Yes it is," Harry shot back quickly. "But I have faith in my friends. I have been betrayed many times, but I found that forgiving them to be far more satisfying than taking revenge."

Hermione stopped in her tracks. These were not normal words that come from a normal fifteen year old boy. These were more like words of an adult. Something her parents would say. Words of wisdom. "You don't sound like a person your age."

Harry just laughed and stated, "Maybe I'm not. Or maybe I am just repeating what I heard from someone else." Harry stopped to turn around to face Hermione. "I believe this is the entrance to the Ravenclaw Tower. Unless you need my assistance in carrying your books to your room, I will take my leave."

Harry waited for Hermione to walk up to him before he handed Hermione her books. "You don't seem like a normal person, Harry Potter. Who are you, really?"

"Merlin using polyjuice potion!" Harry replied jokingly as he slipped away down the hall. "See you again, Hermione!" he called out as he raised an arm and waved. "We'll talk again!"

As Harry walked away, he could not help but notice the similarities in the three conversations he had. Neville's destiny was the result of the older generation neglecting their duty. They turned their backs on the world and Neville was born because of the masses betraying the world. Draco's path laid somewhere between good and evil.

-

"I see you have already made acquaintances with Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy, and Ronald, Ginny, Fred and George Weasley. You sure work quickly, Alex," Dumbledore said as he stood next to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Well, it's never bad to get an early start as you always say," Harry said as he made his way up the last steps.

"Something interesting going to happen?" Dumbledore asked with twinkles in his eyes.

"I wouldn't put it that way."

"So the time is soon?"

"Yes. Perhaps too soon. No, it's happening too soon," Harry replied darkly. "They're not ready Albus. No where near ready at all. I would have thought you would make better use of the time given to them."

Dumbledore gave a weak smile. "Sometimes I forget I'm not as young as I use to be. I wanted to shield them from this war as long as I could and fight this war myself."

"This is not your war anymore, Albus. I did not save you so you would die in another war."

"Ah, so it was you who saved me," Dumbledore said stroking his beard. "I always wondered who it was. Thank you, Alex."

"Teach them well, Albus. They are the future of this world," Harry said as he walked up to the Fat Lady and spoke the password.

"What of you?" Dumbledore asked out of curiosity.

Harry chuckled and replied, "I'm like you. A relic of the past." 


	3. The Prophecy

Chapter 03: The Prophecy

* * *

Neville sat in his bed wide awake. Cold sweat poured down the side of his face. His heart was beating quickly and he was panting. Fear wrapped its hand tightly around Neville's body. Once more Neville had the same nightmare. He was in the Ministry of Magic. It was a dark corridor with little lighting. No one was around. The Auror guard was dead.

He was going down along the walls checking the aisle numbers. When he reached aisle 49, he walked down. Neville reached halfway down the aisle when he saw his name on the plate. He pulled out a glass cylinder and examined it. This was exactly what he was searching for.

Neville wanted the dream to end there, but there was more. As he laughed, he turned to face three figures. One was his grandmother. The second was Arthur Weasley. The third was Victor Krum. Why were they all here? Suddenly, they fell to the ground. He was laughing again, however, Neville was not. Neville tried to move to their side and help them, but he soon realized they were all dead. He had what he was searching for.

But what was it? Neville was not searching for something. He just wanted to be left alone. The events of Cedric's death were still fresh in his mind. He had entered the Triwizard Tournament under the watchful eye of a Death Eater which split the Hufflepuff house. Some supported Neville because he was The-Boy-Who-Lived while others supported Cedric because he was rightfully chosen for the task. In the end of the tournament, Neville had convinced Cedric to take the cup together. His decision led Cedric to his death.

_Kill the spare._ He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had ordered. The other man Neville did not recognize, but after the death of Cedric, You-Know-Who was revived. This was all Neville's fault. He had been foolish and thought he was safe from harm. He had thought nothing could go wrong. But everything did.

Neville tossed his sheets to the side, changed into his robes and left the Hufflepuff Tower. At first, Neville wanted to be alone and made his way to the Great Hall for breakfast, but he needed to tell somebody about his dream. So he rushed off to the Gryffindor Tower first. As he stepped up to the portrait of the Fat Lady, he asked, "I don't suppose Ron is awake, is he?"

The Fat Lady just glared at Neville stating the obvious answer. Neville just shrugged and turned to walk away, but the portrait swung open and Ron was standing there rubbing his eyes. "You wanted to talk?" Ron yawned and stretched.

"Yeah!" Neville said quickly. "We need to get Hermione first."

The two boys made their way across Hogwarts to the Ravenclaw Tower hoping Hermione was awake. Actually, only Neville was hoping she was awake. Ron hoped that Hermione was asleep so he could get some more sleep. Hermione had kept him up late forcing him to study. Contrary to popular belief, Ron had asked Hermione to help him prepare for today's exam. Instead of finding Hermione at the Ravenclaw Tower, Neville and Ron bumped into her in the corridor leading to the library.

"You two are up early," Hermione said with a skeptical look. Ron was still yawning and dosing off as he leaned against the wall. Neville was wide awake in comparison to his friend, but did not look like he had a good nights rest.

"Yeah. Well, I couldn't sleep. I had another dream," Neville replied as they entered the library. He retold the events of his dream carefully making sure that he did not miss a single detail. This dream had haunted Neville's nights for well over half a year now, but this morning was the first time he saw the deaths of his grandmother, Victor and Mr. Weasley.

When Neville finished, Hermione was ghostly pale while Ron was burning bright red in fury. But neither could form the words they wanted to say. "I think it's time to bring other DA members into this. We will need them in the upcoming battle."

"What makes you think that there will be a battle?" Ron asked in an angry tone.

"Because I need to stop You-Know-Who from getting whatever is in the Ministry." Neville replied. "Whatever it is, it will tip the balance into You-Know-Who's favor. With the Ministry dismissing my claims and the Order shutting me out, we're on our own."

"But what if-" Hermione tried to protest, but Ron cut her off.

"Don't say it, Hermione!" Ron commanded.

"That is why we need DA," Neville pulled out his coin and placed it on the table. "I don't know if this will happen, but I do know that we need to be ready."

"Maybe we should talk to Dumbledore first," Hermione quickly suggested. She was not all that thrilled in having to face He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Nor was she feeling very well after hearing that Victor was going to die. Well, he died in Neville's dream.

Neville grunted, "He's been avoiding me all year! He wouldn't even let me join the Order of the Phoenix! How do you think he will help?"

"I don't know!" Hermione answered desperately. For the first time in her life, Hermione's knowledge was not helping her. Smart as she was, Hermione did not like Divination. And dreams were not her specialty either.

"I say we just round up DA and take You-Know-Who ourselves. Dumbledore wouldn't believe that dream anyways. Why else would he have Snape train you in Occlumency?" Ron spat as he stood up from his seat. A plan was already forming in his mind. "Those that come with us must be at least our year."

"You know Ginny and Luna won't sit well with this," Neville said quickly.

"It's too dangerous for them," Ron shot back quickly.

"We trained them to be as good as the three of us here!" Neville countered. "They would be in as much danger as we would be. Plus we could just make them watch our backs. We don't have enough people still with us to take on both the Death Eaters and guard our escape route."

As the two boys argued, Hermione sat to the side and watched quietly. Leadership was Neville's strongest quality, despite his clumsy nature and his lack of magical ability. People followed Neville wherever he went and listened. Ron was the planner. The brains behind the strategies. Neville and Ron were like King and Head General.

Hermione felt left behind as she was only good for her knowledge. Her spells lacked power and accuracy in comparison with majority of DA members. She had no skill in strategies or leadership. The only thing that kept Hermione going was that she was Neville's best friend. She worked on charming the coins, creating a way to keep DA a secret from unwanted ears and other smaller things a normal secretary would do.

Neville and Ron continued to argue even as the trio made their way to breakfast in the Great Hall. Despite Neville's lack of ability in strategizing, he made up for it in leadership. Neville by far was a fair leader considering everyone in his equation even if it went against his own feelings. Their conversation came to an abrupt halt when the three had to split up to their respective tables.

As Ron sat down at the Gryffindor table, he still disagreed with Neville's reasoning for allowing Ginny and Luna to join the campaign. However, Ron knew that he could not win against the two girl's stubbornness. Quickly, Ron pulled out a parchment and began to sketch out a new plan. There would be three teams. The first group was the front line which would consist of the strongest in DA with Neville at the lead. The second group would be support for the first group. The third group would secure an exit. This was where Ron would place Ginny and Luna. They would be safer there.

* * *

Harry entered the Great Hall while scratching his scar. It prickled this morning signaling that Voldemort was up to something. Because of Harry's training in Occlumency, he did not suffer from dreams the same way Neville did. Harry usually had dreamless nights. It was one of the skills he developed over the course of the wars he fought. Killing always left Harry with a bitter and unpleasant feeling which often reflected in his nightmares. Salazar took it upon himself to teach Harry how to block out his dreams. He too was once haunted by the nightmares of his past.

Harry found a seat at the Gryffindor table across from Ron who was scribbling something down on a piece of parchment. Over the two weeks that Harry has been at Hogwarts, he has never seen Ron scratch anything down on parchment and avoid his breakfast. Dean and Seamus were trying to peak over Ron's shoulder, but he let the parchment roll over itself covering his writing. Over to the side, Ginny, Fred and George were busy fighting over Harry's spare spellbook.

"You know, Ron, if I didn't know any better, I would think you're studying," Harry said as he got himself a bowl of cereal.

"Well, I am. O.W.L.s for History of Magic is up first," Ron replied quickly as he continued to focus on his parchment.

Harry just shrugged. He only needed Ron to look up so he could make eye contact. Harry was able to gather some thoughts that were on Ron's mind. It seems Ron was making a plan of some sort. The letters 'D' and 'A' were present in most of Ron's thoughts. Harry picked off several names as well. Most notably Neville's and Hermione's.

As Harry dug into his bowl of cereal, he began to wonder if this had something to do with Voldemort. Although Harry was a Planeswalker that could step into the Plane of Time, Harry had no control over it. He could only step into the plane if Balthazar, the Guardian of Time, allowed him to. Or yanked him into the plane. Balthazar was the master of Time and allowed Planeswalkers to cross the Plane of Time if he deemed it necessary. The era a Planeswalker ended up was entirely up to Balthazar as well. It always bothered Harry that one person was in control of the Plane of Time. For what reason was Balthazar given control of the Plane? Harry once asked if it was fate, but Balthazar laughed before telling Harry that fate was often times shaped by will, whether it is from one person or a group.

Going back in time for a few moments would allow Harry to better understand Ron's plans, but capturing the most prominent thoughts in Ron's mind gave Harry a basic idea of Ron's plan. Of all the thoughts Harry was able to capture, one thought stuck to Harry's mind. Neville's dream. He had no idea what it was, but Harry knew Neville's mind was connected to Voldemort's as was his own. But Neville did not receive extensive training in Occlumency. Harry had well over five hundred years to perfect this skill.

Harry wondered if he should confront Neville about the dream, but the bell for the first exam rang. Harry looked up and saw Ron reluctantly peel himself away from the parchment. Neville, Ron and Hermione were planning something. Harry wished he could enter time and see what it was that they had planned this morning.

The thought of reporting to Albus crossed Harry's mind, but the headmaster was not here at Hogwarts. There was an attack on a Muggle village by Death Eaters early this morning sending Albus and the Order away to investigate. From the early rumors, Harry could tell it was a Death Eater named Sirius Black. Harry had observed the first war against Voldemort long enough to know that Sirius was not a Death Eater. Someone wanted the world to believe it, but Harry did not know who.

Harry met the members of the old Order briefly before he left. He was under disguise during those years to avoid the eyes of Albus. Most members were gone now, whether killed, betrayed or tortured to insanity. Sirius Black was one of the members who were betrayed. As were Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter. He wondered if Dumbledore knew the truth, but Harry's thoughts were cut short as he entered the classroom where hundreds of individual desks were set up.

_Damn tests!_ Harry cursed in his mind. There wasn't a need for Harry to study this subject, as Harry had seen history unfold first hand. He pulled out a quill, took his seat and waited for the test to be passed out. Harry looked around and found all the fifth year students here. It was Ministry regulation that all students take the same exam at the same time to avoid cheating.

Once the tests were passed out, Harry ripped through the bindings and scribbled down the answers as they naturally came to his mind. Midway through the exam, Harry began to feel his scar burn. He looked over to search for Neville, but it seems Neville had finished the exam already. Ron and Hermione were also gone as well as many of the people Harry had seen in Ron's thoughts. Desperate for a clue, Harry let his defenses down and unwanted thought invade his mind.

* * *

When Harry woke, he found himself in the Ministry of Magic. He recognized it because he was here during the last war. He entered one of the corridors and saw an Auror guarding the entrance. A green jet shot out of his wand and the man collapsed to the ground. The doors swung open and revealed a room with thousands of aisles. Harry coasted down the aisles searching for a number. When he hit 49, he smiled and walked down. After a few meters, Harry reached the center where he looked carefully at hundreds of glass cylinders.

'Neville Longbottom' one of them read. A hand reached out and pulled out the cylinder. He began to laugh as he turned to face three people bound and beaten to the side. A green flash sparked behind their necks before they each collapsed to the ground. Harry knew instantly that they were dead, but Harry did not recognize their faces.

Harry shot up in his seat and scratched his scar again. He knew what was going to happen and when. Voldemort was after the prophecy and he was going to get it today. Harry shuffled through his exam packet and noticed he only had one unanswered question. _Screw this! _Harry said to himself knowing that he could pass without answering the last question.

Harry took his exam and placed it onto the front desk before dashing out of the classroom. First thing Harry needed to do was contact a member of the Order. As Harry made his way down the hall, he found himself face to face with Professor Umbridge. "So you're the boy who suddenly arrive out of nowhere and expect to be treated as a hero?"

Most of the time, Harry treated adults with respect, but Umbridge was not one who deserved it. "Shut up and get out of my way," Harry replied as he tried to walk past.

A wand rose up and pointed in his face. "You will treat me with utmost respect, Mister Potter!" Umbridge commanded.

"Make me," Harry challenged as he knocked the wand away and walked past the portly professor.

"Stop right there, boy!" a snarling voice commanded.

"Like I'll listen to you," Harry muttered disrespectfully. "If you're going to point your wand at me, make sure you're going to use it, otherwise I don't have time to waste on someone as miserable like you."

"Crucio!" a voice screamed that startled Harry. He was not expecting that curse to be thrown. Especially since Umbridge was a professor. It had been a long time since Harry had experience the Cruciatus Curse. All he remembered was that it was unpleasant. As Harry hit the ground screaming in pain, it made him remember how unpleasant it was. "Now, you filthy mutt, I dare you repeat that line you so disrespectfully used."

"It would be an insult to miserable people everywhere to label you as a miserable person. You're a fucking psychotic bitch! A female counterpart of Voldemort!" Harry blasted with a laugh as the curse was freed for a moment.

"You ungrateful, insignificant runt! Crucio!" Umbrige cried out in shock and the spell hit Harry in the chest.

This time, instead of crumpling to the ground in pain, Harry withstood the spell. "Sorry, the same trick doesn't work twice," Harry bluffed with a laugh. While he did not show any signs of pain, Harry's body was in severe pain, worse than the first wave as he angered Umbridge even more. However, Harry was able to fend off the pain through the mastery of concentration and his iron will.

"Impossible!" Umbridge cried out as she used the curse once more, but Harry was able to hold up his bluff.

"Yeah, whatever," Harry said as he pulled out a spellbook, flipped it open and spoke a quite incantation. A sudden burst of light exploded in Harry's palm knocking Umbridge out. Once the professor lost consciousness, the pain disappeared, but it had taken a toll on Harry's body.

"Assaulting a teacher and a member of the Ministry is a crime, Mister Potter," a snide voice spat. If Harry did not know any better, he would have believed the voice belonged to Salazar Slytherin in his early years as a professor. It was no so much the same voice, but the manner in which they spoke it. They both had this cold voice, but with a hint of curiosity. Hidden deeply inside the words was worry.

"She was in the way. Neville and his friends have gone to the Ministry of Magic," Harry told Snape quickly as he spun around. He did not know if Severus Snape was a member of the Order, but if this man was anything like Salazar, he would help. "They are in over their heads and you need to contact Albus with this information!"

"What makes you think that?" Snape asked with a glare.

"Neville isn't the only one who has the dreams," Harry spat as he pulled up his hair to reveal his scar. "I am connected to Voldemort as well. Ask Albus if you don't believe me. But the more time we waste debating, the more people will die against the Death Eaters."

"Fine. I will notify Dumbledore, but you are to stay here until he arrives."

"There is no time, Professor Snape," Harry shot quickly. "I have to help them or else they will die."

Snape watched in shock as a black liquid rose from Harry's shadow and wrapped around the boy. The next moment Harry was absorbed into his own shadow and disappeared. He quickly regained his composure and rushed off to the nearest fireplace.

* * *

Neville lead Ron, Hermione, Ernie, Zacharias, Dean and Seamus through the long corridors of the Ministry. Fred and George lead the support team with Hannah, Susan, Terry, Michael and Cho. Stewart led the rear guard that consisted of him, Ginny, Luna, Eleanor, Owen, Kevin and Rose.

"Stewart, you are to stay here and stay hidden from view," Neville ordered as he turned back. They could see a fallen Auror guard up ahead. It seems the Ministry was not informed that one of their guards was dead. "None of you are to follow. If we aren't out in thirty minutes, go get help from Moody!"

Neville led his team through the door first. It was dark and quiet. No one was here. As they made their way to the end of the hallway, Neville signaled Fred, George and their team to follow. When the twin's team made it past the doors, it suddenly slammed shut cutting off their escape. Green jets suddenly poured down upon them as Neville shouted for them too run.

It was far too late as he saw Terry and Michael hit the ground. Dean and Seamus shouted their spells in retaliation, but two stunners hit them knocking them out of play the instant the two boys got off their first spell. Hannah was hit by a cutting curse and blood poured out from her severed left arm. She was crying in pain as Susan dragged her to cover. George was stunned as he fired off spells to cover his team's escape and Fred carried his twin away to safety.

Ernie and Zacharias held their ground and were able to take down four of the twelve Death Eaters Neville could see that ambushed them. "Retreat!" Neville ordered as they rushed down the corridor. They were not ready for this. They were not ready for war at all. Neville was dragging Ernie, Ron was carrying Zacharias, Fred helped George while Susan moved Hannah. Hermione blew open the doors to the next room while Cho was defending their rear.

Half the team was down in the first minute of battle. Two were dead, three were stunned and one was injured. Things could not have gone worse for Neville Longbottom. "Eneverate!" Neville shouted reviving Ernie. Ron and Fred did the same for Zacharias and George while Susan tried her best to close Hannah's wound.

"Get those shelves and move it against the entrance!" Ron bellowed as wands waved and metal shelves closed itself against the entrance. "Neville, who stays and who goes?"

Neville looked around at his scattered teams. He never had a chance to decide before the shelves exploded. One of them fell over crushing Ernie's legs as he bellowed in pain. Shouts of stunners roared as red jets shot towards the doorway. One Death Eater fell, but the remaining seven split up. Several spells shot back missing Neville and his friends. But explosions erupted in the room destroying various magical objects around the room.

Hermione dodged out the way only to find that a shelf of time turners exploded to her left. She fired a spell back destroying a piece of the wall as a stunner hit the Death Eater hiding there. Hermione heard a scream as she turned to see blood splash out from a wound across Susan's back. "Expeliarmus!" Hermione shouted disarming the Death Eater before he could finish the job. "Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione cried out freezing the Death Eater. "Come on!" Hermione said as she pulled Susan and Hannah off the ground. She found a nice hiding spot in the debris and told Susan and Hannah to stay there as she placed a Disillusion Charm over them.

Ron and his twin older brothers held their ground against the remaining four Death Eaters. This allowed Neville, Cho and Zacharias to free Ernie and drag him out of harms way. However, two stunners found their way through Ron, Fred and George's defenses and hit Cho and Zacharias. Suddenly, an explosion cut off the Death Eaters from Neville and his fallen friends. Neville quickly revived Cho and Zacharias and ordered them to stay hidden to watch over their fallen friends.

"We got to go!" Ron shouted as Fred, George and Hermione made it through the other exit. Neville gave a nod to Cho and Zach before leaving them to tend the wounded.

* * *

Harry arrived before the Ministry of Magic and noticed nothing wrong. But Harry had the distinct feeling Voldemort was already inside. Harry quickly flipped through his spellbook and readied his spell before charging into the Ministry. He just hoped he was not too late. Harry made his way through the Ministry unnoticed until he met Ginny and six other students pounding on a pair of double doors.

"Ginny, how long have they been inside?" Harry shouted as he dashed down the hall.

"I don't know!" Ginny stammered. "Ten minutes?"

"When I break through this door, you are to get everyone who is down on the ground and bring them back here. Do not, under any circumstance, take on a Death Eater if you see one. Just run," Harry ordered. He concentrated and five white orbs formed around him. Two smashed into the doors destroying them effortlessly while the other three shot down the hall. One was deflected and smashed into the ceiling above toppling it down while the other two ripped through flesh.

Blood splashed onto the ground and screams came from behind Harry, but he was not fazed. More white orbs formed around him and shot down the hall at the remaining two Death Eaters. They were able to deflect the first orb, but the second one always hit. One tore through a Death Eater's chest while the other disintegrated the other's head. "Get moving, Ginny!" Harry commanded. "Voldemort will know reinforcements have come and will start sending more Death Eaters."

Harry wished he could Planeswalk in the Ministry of Magic, but there was an ancient artifact here that disrupted the Planes. Harry walked through the door and found two fellow students lying dead at the entrance. He winced as Ginny and her friends pulled them out. As he continued down the hall, he found Dean and Seamus lying on the ground stunned. "Ginny! Dean and Seamus are stunned. You'll need to revive them and have them tell you what happened!" Harry commanded before he dashed down the hallway.

Up ahead, the path was blocked by debris. Normally, Harry would use a spell to clear a path, but he has used half of his magical energy already. He had pumped more energy into the orbs than normal so they would kill on contact. As powerful as Harry was, he did not have infinite energy. He just hoped he had enough to save Neville and his friends from Voldemort's trap.

* * *

Neville raced down the familiar corridors of his dream and found his way to a chamber of aisles. "Forty nine," he whispered to himself as he raced down the wall. When he found aisle 49, he turned and saw Voldemort standing on the other side of the aisle with a smile across his face.

"Welcome, Neville Longbottom. I was wondering when you would show up. I was getting tired of waiting," Voldemort greeted. Suddenly, over twenty shadows surrounded Neville and his four friends. "Now be a good boy and retrieve the Prophecy for me."

"What makes you think I will comply?" Neville spat back.

"Oh, you will. You value the life of friends and family after all," Voldemort stepped to the side revealing Mr. Weasley, Victor and his grandmother.

Anger burst through Neville's mind as he saw how weak his grandmother seemed. She obviously had been tortured. How Voldemort captured her Neville did not know, but he was sure to make Voldemort pay.

Ron, Fred and George called out for their father, but wands pointed at the back of Arthur's neck froze the three redheads where they stood. They were itching to fire spells at the Death Eaters and save their father, but they were clearly outnumbered.

Hermione was at the verge of tears as she saw Victor barely hanging on to his life. Blood was dripping down his face and his body was red with wounds. Unknown to her friends, Hermione had begun to date Victor secretly. Now, he was forty meters across the hall and Hermione could do nothing to save him.

"Now, do you want your grandmother, the bloodtraitor's father and the mudblood's boyfriend to die? Or are you willing to give me the Prophecy to save their lives?" Voldemort asked.

"Don't do it, Neville," his grandmother commanded, but Voldemort's fist smashed into her face breaking her nose.

Neville cried out in anger, but Voldemort just laughed. "Now choose!" Reluctantly, Neville and his friends walked to the middle of the aisle and retrieved the prophecy. "Hand it over!" Voldemort commanded. Neville laid the glass cylinder on the ground and rolled it over to Voldemort. "Good. Now to keep my promises! Kill the prisoners!"

"NO!" Neville and his friends screamed in unison, but his grandmother, Mr. Weasley and Victor fell lifeless to the ground. Green jets flew down towards the group of five friends, but a transparent shield materialized around them saving them from their deaths. A few moments later, lightning blazed across the top of the room knocking all the Death Eaters away.

"Who might you be?" Voldemort questioned as Neville, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George turned around.

"Harry Potter," a boy answered as he stood with a book open in his left hand. A bolt of lightning shot out from his right palm and slammed into Voldemort's chest knocking him into the wall. "Sorry, Voldemort. You won't be taking their lives today," Harry shouted as he dashed over to Neville and his friends.

"How- You-" Neville stammered.

"No time. Ron, Fred and George. One of you or all of you summon a fireball and shoot it up at the ceiling," Harry said quickly as he tossed them the spellbook in his hand. From his pouch, he pulled out another spellbook and flipped four pages in. "Hurry up! This shield won't last much longer!"

Ron, Fred and George quickly began their incantations as Harry began his own. "Do you think a measly bolt of lightning can kill me? The Great Lord Voldemort?" Voldemort asked as he recovered from the blast. Three fireballs erupted in the room scorching the Death Eaters. Some screamed as the flames burned their flesh while others got out of the way. Suddenly, a spear shot out and stabbed into Voldemort's chest. He looked down when it exploded ripping off parts of his body.

"You killed You-Know-Who!" Hermione cheered with hope as she crawled forward to find Victor.

"No. Temporarily wounded him," Harry replied as he grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her off the ground. "We need to go!" Harry shouted as he ushered the four other boys to their feet.

"But You-Know-Who is-" Ron started, but Harry would not let him finish.

"I can't kill Voldemort. Only Neville can," Harry shouted trying to keep the five from running over to their loved ones that had fallen. "We can get them once Albus arrives! But we need to escape. Now!"

Harry could not get the five out before Voldemort stood up again. Half of his body was gone, but it was quickly regenerating. "You know, Harry Potter. That hurt. That hurt a lot." Harry looked over and saw that the Prophecy was still in tact. He quickly drew a dagger from his pouch, tossed it and shattered the glass cylinder. Voldemort looked down in horror not believing what he had seen. "Do you know what you have done?"

Harry quickly flipped though his spellbook and began an incantation ignoring Voldemort completely. Neville and his friends were also staring at Harry not believing what Harry had just done. Before they could ask, Voldemort raised his wand and shot out a spell. At the same time, a wall of ice formed between Harry and Voldemort blocking the spell.

"WE HAVE TO GO!" Harry shouted in anger. He hated having to deal with naïve people. None understood the danger they were in. None understood how thin the line their lives were hanging on. None understood that by dying, they would not be able to honor those who died. "Either we go now or we all die!"

However, none of the five friends moved towards the exit. Instead, they were trying to get back to their loved ones. They did not care or realize that by going back, they were walking towards certain death. Harry was running low on magical energy as well as his patience and he doubted that he could cast another spell. Not one that could counter something Voldemort would throw or injure Voldemort enough to make their escape. He noticed that the ice was cracking and quickly pulled Hermione out of the way. A spear pierced through and stabbed into his right shoulder. "GO!" Harry commanded as he fell to his knees.

The ice wall exploded sending shards of ice down the aisle, but the six teenagers were well down the corridor. "HARRY POTTER!" Voldemort screamed in fury. No one has ever injured Voldemort. Not even Albus Dumbledore. However, a fifteen year old boy had destroyed half of his body with a single blow. "Chase after them!" Voldemort commanded his remaining Death Eaters.

Harry made his way down the corridor with the help of the twins. His energy was drained when he destroyed the spear and closed his wound. "We have to hurry!" Neville called out as they entered the room they battled Death Eaters earlier. The debris covering the exit blew open and the five friends drew their wands wondering if it was an enemy that stood behind the dust.

However, Neville found the familiar faces of Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, Minerva McGonagall and other members of the Order of the Phoenix. "Neville!" Dumbledore cried out as he walked into the room. "What happened?"

"You-Know-Who tried to get the Prophecy, but Harry destroyed it," Neville answered quickly as Fred and George set the boy down. "He came in and save our lives…"

Dumbledore looked around and saw Cho and Zacharias come out of the shadows supporting an injured Ernie. Susan and Hannah were off in a corner coping with their injuries. "Take all the injured students back to Hogwarts and have Poppy take care of them!" Dumbledore commanded the members of the Order.

"Leaving so soon, Albus?" the voice of Voldemort asked.

"Why do you ask, Tom? Do you wish for a duel?" Dumbledore replied, but before either could raise their wands, arrows of light shot into Voldemort's chest.

"You can't win, Voldemort!" Harry said with a weak voice. "Over twenty of your Death Eaters lay dead and the Prophecy is gone. Retreat while you still have your life!"

Voldemort glared at Harry as blood trickled down his chest. They had not penetrated deeply leaving Voldemort with only light scratches, but he was greatly weakened in the earlier battle. His regeneration was working fairly slowly. "I will remember this!" Voldemort shouted as he disappeared.

Harry collapsed to the ground, but not before Dumbledore moved in and caught the boy. "You shouldn't push yourself, Alex."

"Like you're one to talk, Albus," Harry chuckled weakly before passing out.


	4. Memories

Chapter 04: Memories

* * *

Harry woke up in one of the beds of Hogwarts' Infirmary. He had a dream he had not dreamt in a long time. It was the only dream Harry considered a dream rather than a nightmare, and it left him feeling refreshed. He sat up, put on his glasses and looked around the infirmary.

Hannah Abbot was lying across with a bandaged upper left arm. She would forever lose the ability to use her left arm which saddened Harry, but this was the result of war. There was never a war without loss. Susan Bones and her family were there by her side as she was recovering from the injury to her back. Ernie McMillan was harboring a pair of broken legs that were in the process of healing.

However, those who were injured were lucky. Their family could still scold them for their stupidity. For those who died, all their family could do was cry, mourn and find someone to blame. Some blamed Neville for his foolish leadership. Others blamed the Ministry for not being there earlier. Those who knew of the Order blamed them. Some blamed Voldemort for his actions. However, Harry knew that blaming someone wouldn't ease the pain. Harry also knew that finding someone to blame was a mere cover for having to face the reality that one was really blaming oneself for not being there.

Harry slid out of bed and made his way out of the infirmary when a familiar figure stood at the doorway. "Up already, Alex?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah. My Animagus form is quite handy for these types of situations," Harry replied. "How are they dealing with their losses?"

"Horribly," Dumbledore replied as he walked down the corridor with his old friend. A war comrade is a better term. "Do you remember the first time you lost a friend in war?"

Harry grunted. How could he forget? It was still fresh in his mind like every other friend he lost. "Yeah. It took Sal a few months to help me recover."

"I'm sorry to have to force this upon you, Alex, but can you help them recover? I'm afraid they no longer trust me," Dumbledore requested in a sad tone. "Neville has locked himself in his room. Fred, George, Ron and Ginny will be sent back to the Burrows later this evening. But Hermione has gone missing."

Harry gave a weak smile and responded, "You know, Albus, I saved you life from Grendelwald not so you can prance around Hogwarts, but to guide Neville and his friends through this war."

"Don't you mean your friends?" Dumbledore asked.

Harry eyed the old headmaster before saying, "I think I will be more of a savior to them than a friend."

"Afraid that your power may be misleading?"

"Isn't it?"

"Well I have tremendous power and it isn't misleading."

"Ah, but unlike you, Albus, the power I wield is vastly different than the world is used to. Also, I was born under a Prophecy. A Prophecy which you need to reveal to Neville."

"How did you learn what the Prophecy said anyways?"

"Easy. Old man Bal sent me to hear it. That's why I destroyed it without a second thought. Voldemort doesn't need to hear it. You should be the one to talk to Neville, Albus. He still trusts you. Well, maybe not so much anymore. But there is still some trust. Tell him the truth. The whole truth."

Dumbledore stroked his beard in deep thought. "Will you be talking to the others then?"

"Only Hermione. She's the only one without a family that understands."

Dumbledore stopped and let Harry walk off alone. Human minds were far clearer when they were younger. No doubts. No worries. Everything was crystal clear.

* * *

Harry stalked towards the portrait of the one person who knew where every student was at Hogwarts: Salazar Slytherin. He was still weakened from the duel with Voldemort yesterday so sustaining a protective field while entering a Plane would be near impossible. And going into a Plane without proper protection is deadly. "Sal!" Harry shouted to the empty portrait calling the founder. "Where's Hermione Granger?"

But before the founder could respond, a voice echoed, "Why would Salazar Slytherin take interest in a Mudblood?" Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy at the end of the corridor.

"I don't know," Harry answered cheerfully. "Want to answer that, Sal?"

"You should treat Salazar Slytherin with respect, Potter!" Draco scowled with a glare.

Harry just shrugged. He had known Salazar for well over five hundred years. They were as close as two brothers so Harry really did not see any reason to not to talk to Salazar in a casual tone. "Sal doesn't' mind."

"You should mind your own business, Draco Malfoy," Salazar said with a dark tone. "Unless you wish to end up like your father, I'd suggest you treat Harry Potter with respect."

Draco stared at the portrait in horror. Draco was the heir of the Malfoy family, the most prestigious wizarding family of the century. The family that has followed the ways of Salazar Slytherin since the very first member was born. Draco turned and left without another word.

"You know, Sal. You should really correct the Slytherin House. They're all following a path you never set," Harry said to the portrait.

"I've tried. But they wouldn't listen," Salazar sighed as shook his head. "As for Hermione, she's by the lake. She's fairly distressed that her boyfriend was killed."

"Boyfriend?" Harry asked turning to the founder. "Didn't you just tell Draco to mind his own business? Not going against your own advice now, are you?"

"It _is_ my business to know," Salazar stated and did not care to elaborate. Harry was glaring daggers at the founder trying to figure out what message Salazar was hiding this time. "There is very little you can say that will heal her, but if you tell her the truth of your past, she will begin to open up to you."

"My, my, my. What do we have here? The almighty Salazar Slytherin giving advice on how to comfort a girl?" Harry teased, but Salazar did not take the bait.

"If I left it up to you, you'd just make it worse," Salazar spat back. "You know it's true."

Harry lowered his head in defeat. He was never one to understand girls or women. Salazar was right in saying that Harry only made things worse. Perhaps that was an understatement. Harry usually made things infinitely worse when it came to females. "Fine. I'll take your advice. Anything else you want to add?"

"Yeah, don't screw up. If you do, I'll make it my personal vendetta to torture you so painfully you will wish I just killed you."

"Oh thanks. Great way to show your faith," Harry shot back. As he turned away, a thought crossed Harry's mind. "You never gave me advice on girls or women before. Why start now?" Harry turned back and found the portrait empty. "You slimly bastard!" Harry cursed as he stomped away towards the exit.

Harry had been watching Hermione for roughly five minutes. It was hard to approach her as she was crying while looking at a locket. Not to mention, Harry did not know what to say or where to begin. There were two people on the picture in the locket. One was Hermione and the other was one of the men that died in the Ministry of Magic the day before._Maybe I should do this another time… _Harry said to himself, but the conversation with Salazar earlier convinced him otherwise.

The founder was not one to take notice of others and Salazar recognized Hermione's name the moment Harry spoke it. Salazar also answered Harry's question fairly quickly without having to search. This meant that Hermione might have a subtle connection to Salazar and Harry will need to be on his best behavior. There was also the fact that Salazar promised a very painful torture session should Harry fail. Harry let out a sigh. Things were getting too complicated. He shuffled his hands through his head in frustration, but in the process lost his balance. "Holy-" Harry cried out before splashing into the lake.

Hermione slapped her locket shut and quickly wipe her tears away before looking up to ask, "Who's there?" As much as she tried not to sob, it still came out.

"'Lo!" Harry greeted as he pulled himself out of the water. He was already dry before stepping out of the water. One of the few wars Harry fought was naval wars where he flew over the oceans and seas while battling other witches and wizards. Of course that meant that once his broom was destroyed, he would fall into the water and ultimately drown if he was not careful. After several years of practice, Harry developed the natural skill of entering the Plane of Water slightly so he would not get wet and survive even while submerged. He hated having to rewrite his entire spellbook which took weeks to do.

"You're not wet!" Hermione cried out through her sobs.

"Ah. Well, a skill I had to learn after getting shot down from my broom so many times over lakes, seas and oceans. Again, only accessible by Planeswalkers. Can I join you?" Hermione nodded slightly as she turned away to hide her puffy red eyes. Harry took a seat down next to Hermione and looked across the lake. "You once asked me who and what I am. Well, I'm here to answer that question now. I am Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter who were killed saving my life. I was a little over a year old at the time when Voldemort turned his wand and used the Killing Curse on me giving me my scar. Fortunately, my Planeswalker abilities activated and I was sent into the arms of none other than Salazar Slytherin."

Hermione turned to look at Harry skeptically, not believing his story. There was no possible way Harry could have traveled through time at the age of one. She remained silent as he continued, "Hard to believe, but I think old man Bal will let me show you." As if on command, space before them distorted opening a portal to a small garden. "Bal!" Harry shouted out into the portal. "You here you stupid git?"

"Yes, yes," an old man said as he stepped out of the portal before the two teenagers. "I suppose you are Hermione… Granger?" Harry noted the sudden pause. Balthazar knew the names of everyone that was born in this world. There was something else about Hermione neither Salazar nor Balthazar was telling him.

"Where are we?" Hermione asked as she looked around. They were still in the lake, but time seemed to have stopped. There were no ripples in the lake. The birds did not move a centimeter in the sky. Leaves froze in midair. However, time seemed to move for Hermione, Harry and Balthazar.

"Where you ask?" Balthazar said as he stroked his beard. "You are nowhere. This place doesn't exist. Yet you are everywhere since every place in this universe is connected to this spot."

Hermione tilted her head in confusion. "Don't bother trying to figure it out. This old git's worse than Sal. Sal can't even figure out what this man's saying sometimes," Harry said quickly. "You know why we've come."

"Yes, yes," the old man replied with a smile. Nothing seemed to faze this man. Not even insults. "What you will see is real. Every moment of it. This is the life of Harry James Potter." In one moment, five hundred years of battles flashed in Hermione's mind. She felt Harry's every emotion and saw his every hardship. The next moment, the memories had finished, Balthazar was gone and time started to move again.

"Now I can say that I know what you are going through and you will believe my words," Harry said with a smile as he sat down. "War has taken a lot from me. But I still remain the same person. Sal taught me that and for that I will be forever grateful. Don't tell him that though. I don't want him to think I've gone soft."

Hermione chuckled at Harry's logic. It made completely no sense to her, but all the sense in the world to Harry. This was the logic of men. Something Hermione probably would never understand. "Does it ever get better?"

"No. The pain always stays there. Until you forget. But I am not one to forget. I don't want to forget. Each one of my friends are a piece of who I am and their deaths will always be a part of me."

"I don't want to forget either," Hermione said in response. "But I'm going to miss him. Victor I mean."

"I remember when I lost my first friend. The first war I participated in was one in defense of Babylonia. I never knew his name, as I couldn't speak the language at the time, but he was the one who taught me majority of the spells I know today. We were defending the north gate that day when our enemies attacked. He leaped into the way saving my life from an enemy fireball." Harry brought out a book that Hermione had not seen before. "He inscribed these words onto the first page of this book. It reads: 'You are a great wizard, Harry Potter. One day you will save the world and the lives of those around you.' This was the first spellbook I ever made. It contains the most volatile spells in existence. I keep this book in remembrance of my first friend.

"After he died, all I thought about was revenge. I killed every enemy soldier without mercy. At first, the pain was still there. It got worse with every life I took, but I soon realized the pain began to fade. By that point, I had enjoyed killing so much that I was near the brink of insanity. That's when good old Sal stepped in and asked if this was the life I wanted. To be a senseless killer in a battlefield. He took me out of the war and made me watch the final battle from behind the enemy lines. It was then that I realized neither side was good or evil. The soldiers fought for their leaders and did not hold malice towards each other. We watched the battle until both sides eventually killed each other. No one survived that war to write it down in history."

"But You-Know-Who is evil," Hermione spat with pure hatred and malice.

"Killing him won't dull the pain, Hermione. I've killed well over millions of people. I've killed in cold blood, assassinations and on the battlefield. Muggle and wizardkind alike. I've seen five hundred and seventy eight years of magical warfare. I still feel the same amount of pain when I take a life now as when I first took another life. Killing Voldemort won't ease your pain. It will magnify it. Magnify it so much until you are numb. And when you can no longer feel pain, you no longer are human."

Fear wrapped around Hermione as she listened to Harry's words. Had Balthazar not shown her Harry's life of war, she would never have taken his words seriously. Nor would she understand how grave and true his words were. "Then what should I do?" she choked out.

"Live. Live the life Victor wanted you to live. Accept his death and move on. No one wants to see their loved ones fall into stasis." As Harry finished, the two teenagers fell into a deep silence. Harry let Hermione think over his words and story as he stared across the lake.

"I'm going to miss flying…" Hermione muttered.

Harry turned to Hermione with his emerald green eyes sparkling the way Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkle. Then a gleeful smile grew across his face.

* * *

Dumbledore found his way into Neville's room without much trouble. He was not Headmaster of Hogwarts for nothing. "Ah, Mister Longbottom. I am sad to see you locked up here in this room alone."

"Go away, Dumbledore," Neville spat back with anger. No tears dripped down his face. The sadness and sorrow had numbed as did the pain. Only fury burned inside of him. Fury to kill Voldemort.

"I came to apologize, Neville," Dumbledore said as he stood in the doorway.

"Like that will bring those that died yesterday back," Neville replied coldly. He was planning his revenge. Neville had an idea of where to strike. And he would go alone. This way no more lives would be sacrificed.

"No. I suppose it will not."

"Then leave. There's nothing here for you to say," Neville fired back quickly. His fingers were tapping anxiously against his wand.

"Ah, but there is. Maybe you will not listen to my apology, but I have no doubt you will be interested in the words of the Prophecy." Neville's head shot around to face Dumbledore. Hatred and curiosity burned in his eyes. "May I have a seat?" Dumbledore waited until Neville nodded in acknowledgement before sitting down in the bed across from the boy. "_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies...and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives...the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..._"

Neville sat for a moment, wondering what the Prophecy meant. His anger had dulled, but not that much. Neville's fingers still tapped his wand anxiously. "Why tell me this now?" he snarled at Dumbledore.

"Because you deserve to know the truth, Neville. I should have told you this a long time ago, but I wanted to shield you from this war. I prayed that you would never have to participate, but little did I know that this war was no longer in my hands, but in yours."

"That's a lie, Dumbledore. You just didn't want to face the reality of the situation," Neville spat back quickly.

"Perhaps you are right, Neville," Dumbledore agreed. _I am getting far too old and sentimental for war…_ "However, I have come to tell you the truth, not to discuss my position at the moment. As you know, the prophecy points to you. However, there was a second boy this prophecy pointed to. For fourteen years, we believed him dead."

"Let me guess who it is. Harry Potter?" Neville glared at Dumbledore. "It seems he knew the prophecy before I did. Why is that?"

Dumbledore stroked his beard wondering how to answer. _The truth is always a good place to start. _"Harry is a time traveler. You may ask him yourself if you do not believe me. As you may have noticed, I call him by 'Alex Evans' rather than 'Harry Potter'. This is because the two of us were companions in the war against Grendelwald."

"That's not possible!" Neville shot back in disbelief. However, he did not have a reason to justify his accusation. Hermione wore a time-turner in their third year allowing her to take classes that overlapped one another.

"You are free to confirm this with Mister Potter at your convenience. Alex and I have been friends for six years before the war ended. But because of his sudden return, I do not know what will happen next. The Prophecy stated only one will have to power to kill Voldemort, but what I do know is that Alex is powerful. I think it would be wise if you seek his advice in the future rather than mine."

"Wise words indeed, Dumbledore," Neville snarled. "I don't see why I ever came to you for advice in the first place. All you ever told me were lies."

Pain filled his heart, but Dumbledore knew he deserved it. Actually, Dumbledore deserved worse. "I am sorry, Neville, for causing you this much pain. I just came to tell you a truth I should have told you a long time ago."

"Well, you aren't forgiven. Now that you've said what you needed to say, leave." Neville's voice was still as cold as ever.

"Very well," Dumbledore agreed. "I know you will decline my offer and my invitation, but my office is open should you ever wish to talk."

"My door is closed, Dumbledore," Neville spat back which caused Dumbledore to wince in pain. Dumbledore knew he had failed Neville. There was a high possibility that the bridge between Dumbledore and Neville would never be fixed, but Dumbledore clung to the hope that one day it will happen. Silently, Dumbledore exited Neville's room. Each step of the way, Dumbledore wanted to turn back to see if he could earn Neville's forgiveness, but with each step, Dumbledore was reminded of the pain he unintentionally caused. With each step, Dumbledore knew his salvation was one step further away.

Albus Dumbledore took his time walking back to his office. Mostly thinking about how he had handled Neville over the past few years. There was more he wished to tell Neville. There was more he wished to ask forgiveness from Neville for, but Neville would not listen. He was angry and broken. The pain of losing a loved one was immense. However, to lose the person who raised you and showered you with love, that was close to unbearable. Dumbledore could not understand the pain Neville was going through. When Dumbledore's parents passed, he was angry at them. He blamed them for holding back his magical studies. And for a brief moment, Dumbledore was glad his parents passed away.

Dumbledore regretted the way he felt about his parents, but during that time, in his youth, Dumbledore only wanted to garner even greater respect as a wizard. His peer, rival and best friend was Grendelwald and together they dreamed of changing the magical world. Dumbledore felt his family and family history were dragging him down. He thought only of himself. When his father was imprisoned, Dumbledore remembered how he resented his father for damaging the family name. His younger sister, whose mind was destroyed by Muggles, was a pain and burden to take care of. Especially when their mother passed. Dumbledore blamed his mother for placing the burden upon his shoulders and keeping him further away from accomplishing his dreams.

It was only after the day an argument with Grendelwald and Aberforth that resulted in the death of his sister, Ariana, did regret and remorse found their way into Dumbledore's heart. While people trusted Dumbledore with power, he made it a point to restrict the power he wielded. Dumbledore feared to wield great power because it once blinded him to that which was important: his family. Dumbledore never properly mourned for his parent's death and was left with regret that he could never truly mourn. As for Ariana, Dumbledore believed he did not have the right to mourn for her as he may have very well killed her. The remorse and regret he felt for Ariana's death, Dumbledore believed he did not deserve either. The power he sought in turn made him into a killer.

After his sister's death, Dumbledore vowed to never seek out power for the fear that he would make the same mistakes. But despite staying away from power, Dumbledore never felt that he received any punishment for his sins. The pain he felt for losing his sister was great, but Dumbledore had a hand in her death. He murdered her and had not been punished enough for it. For years Dumbledore felt this way until the day he faced Grendelwald. Their last duel made Dumbledore a murderer of his own blood, but he did not expect to face Grendelwald. For years, Dumbledore sat to the side, watching the war while saving all those he could. Harry was there, lending his support along with Salazar. Dumbledore never dared to directly face Grendelwald, but one day, Dumbledore saw the cumulated destruction of Grendelwald over the years.

Unable to stand by and watch, Dumbledore confronted Grendelwald in hopes of stopping his only friend, peer and rival. He tried to turn Grendelwald away with words, but Dumbledore discovered that the words Grendelwald spoke were those they once spoke together. Dumbledore began to remember the beliefs he and Grendelwald followed and, for a moment, drawn to join Grendelwald and support his cause. It was that thought, joining Grendelwald, that Dumbledore discovered what his punishment was: killing the closest person he ever had.

For all the years Dumbledore neglected his own flesh and blood, his punishment was to end the life of Grendelwald, whom Dumbledore once considered flesh and blood over his own familiy. Accepting his punishment, Dumbledore rejected Grendelwald's hand one last time and raised his wand. Grendelwald fought with anger and fury, but those emotions just made it difficult for Dumbledore to fight due to the sorrow he felt for having to end the life of the closest person he had in life. Their battle waged on for hours and in the final moments, Dumbledore saw in Grendelwald what he could have become.

As Dumbledore struck Grendelwald to his knees, he could not help but feel pity and sorrow for the Dark Wizard. Grendelwald's mind was brilliant, his heart may be in the right place, but his methods- no their methods were wrong. As Grendelwald cried out to Dumbledore to give the final blow, Dumbledore found himself unable to deal the final blow. He lowered his wand, but at that moment, Grendelwald began to cast a spell that would summon a meteor to destroy the area. If Dumbledore and Grendelwald were the only two casualties, Dumbledore would have let the meteor fall, but all of London would be destroyed so Dumbledore made a choice. Raising his wand once more, Dumbledore killed Grendelwald before the spell was finished.

With Grendelwald's death, the magical foundation that kept his fortress standing crumbled. At that time, Dumbledore just wanted to perish along with Grendelwald, but someone saved him. Fifty years later, Dumbledore discovered that the one who saved him was a child he failed to protect the parents of. And for the longest time, believed dead due to his incompetence. It was Harry who saved Dumbledore so many years ago and told him to live to guide the children of the future. Those words were all that kept him alive after the war. But now, Dumbledore realized that he had failed his duties.

When he walked into his office, Dumbledore took a look at the portrait of Salazar Slytherin. The founder sat perfectly still and wore an unreadable expression across his face. The founder was calm and ignorant of the fact that Dumbledore was suffering from his mistakes.

"Well, I don't suppose you would act out of character when Alex isn't around," Dumbledore sighed. He sat down into his chair and rocked back a bit into a comfortable position. "Do you think Alex is the child of destiny? Or is Neville still the boy of the Prophecy?"

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a high pitch scream from outside his window. Dumbledore jolted up and turned to the window, but a voice behind him shouted, "ALBUS! You didn't give Harry a broom did you?"

Dumbledore turned around and noticed it was Salazar who spoke. "No. I was with Neville earlier."

"Who was on the broom earlier?" Salazar shot back quickly.

"I was about to look when you-"

"Pull my portrait off the wall and face it out the window!" Salazar commanded. Dumbledore could do nothing but comply. Salazar sounded angry, uneasy, and worried. These were three emotions rarely seen displayed by the normally composed Founder. Then again, Dumbledore had seen a side of Salazar never mentioned before until the arrival of Harry. "Who in the bloody name of Merlin let that git get hold of a broom?"

"Prehaps Rolanda?" Dumbledore amused himself. It was fun watching Salazar's reactions to Harry's spontaneous actions.

"Dear Merlin! You have no idea what you unleashed, Albus. I would suggest you keep all you-" Salazar never had a chance to finish his sentence when a few hundred students came zooming past chasing after Harry. "Damn! You can't stop him now!"

"You sure about that?" Dumbledore mused himself.

"I'm the only bloody person who can catch that prat when he's flying. Too bad I can't call my living self here right now," Salazar muttered under his breath. Then Harry came back around shooting by the Headmaster and the Founder with a wave. "Dear Merlin! He has Hermione on his back!" Salazar shouted realizing the scream had not come from Harry but Hermione. "SEND SOMEONE AFTER THAT BLOODY PRAT WHO CAN FLY! HE'S GOING TO GET HERMIONE KILLED!"

Dumbledore stroked his beard wondering why the Founder was concerned for Hermione Granger. She was not of his house, but of Ravenclaw. Nothing seemed to make sense when you put Harry Potter and Salazar Slytherin together. "I thought you said you were the only one who can catch Alex when he's flying."

"I am. But I want people there to insure that Hermione does not die when she falls of his back. And when she does, I want him shot down, drowned, dried and fried!" Salazar fired back immediately in full fury.

Oddly enough, the fury Salazar displayed was enough to brighten Dumbledore's mood. It allowed Dumbledore to relax for a moment and remember the joys and accomplishments he had achieved over the years. It made him feel better about himself, despite his sins, errors and mistakes. While Dumbledore he may never be completely forgiven, he knew that there was still hope.

* * *

**Author's Note: **It's been a long time since I've last updated, but here you go. Enjoy! It'll probably be a while before the next update as things have been hectic around here, but I won't forget about this story. 


	5. A Harmless Flight

Chapter 05: A Harmless Flight

* * *

"Hey, Hermione! I got a broom! It's an old Cleansweeper Hooch lent me, but it's good enough!" Harry called out as he found his way back to the lake. Hermione was still sitting by the lake, but her tears were gone. "Hope on! I'll take you for a ride!" Harry said as he mounted the old broom.

"I don't know, Harry…" Hermione replied unsure if she wanted to ride. Victor had always tried to teach Hermione how to fly, but she was scared of the height and the speed.

"Don't worry, Hermione!" Harry assured with a convincing smile. "You won't fall off or feel sick. I'm the best on the broom next to Sal!" Harry pulled Hermione onto the broom, wrapped her arms around his waist and kicked off into the air. Harry slowly eased up into the air and looked around.

"You can go faster, you know that right," Hermione said noting how slow they were moving.

"I know. Just waiting for some company," Harry replied with a grin. Small dots were finally coming into view from Hogwarts. Earlier, when Harry went to get a broom, he had placed down a bet stating that whoever can touch him once while they are in the air will win 1000 Galleons. He was able to get majority of the students to chase after him, but ditched them easily as Harry had a clear advantage because of his Planeswalker abilities.

Harry had traveled enough in the Plane of Wind that Harry knew the exact flow of wind currents. All brooms could reach the same velocities, but because of wind resistance, weaker brooms like the Cleansweeper could not reach the speeds of stronger brooms like the Firebolt. For Harry, this did not pose as a problem since his ability allowed him to create a gap between currents in which wind resistance was negated. Traveling in that gap allowed any broom to go its maximum speed. This was cheating, but it was not like anyone could catch him.

"I would suggest you not close your eyes, but you've never gone as fast as I will go in a moment in your life before, so I won't blame you if you do," Harry said as he noticed the Slytherins were the first to catch up. Draco Malfoy was leading the pack of green robed students. "Ever play a game of tag on a broom before?" Harry asked Hermione, but did not wait for an answer. He leaned forward on the broom and felt the currents around him. Suddenly, they burst forward across the lake, ripping though the air faster than a snitch can fly.

Hermione was screaming her lungs out, but she could not hear herself in the least. Up ahead, she saw several Gryffindors flying about trying to catch Harry. She tried to warn Harry, but he continued to fly forward. Suddenly, they shifted to the left near instantaneously and just out of the reach of the first Gryffindor. Another shift came, this time to the right dodging the hands that tried to take hold of Harry.

Harry's flying was unorthodox. He was able to make sharp turns without losing any speed or breaking. They accelerated past the max advertised speeds in less than a second. The shifts in the air were impossible to do as brooms do not sway that fast to the sides. However, what surprised Hermione the most was that Harry seemed to fly this broom with ease. His movements were so fluid that it seemed like Harry was dancing in the wind. No matter who came after him and from what direction, Harry just moved enough so that they were at least a centimeter away.

Suddenly, Harry brought the broom downward for a dive. Hermione had not noticed how high off the ground they had flown, but staring straight down at the Earth did not help. Hogwarts castle was no bigger than a decimeter and they were heading straight downward. Once more, Hermione was screaming and pleading Harry to stop, but he could not hear her protests.

Harry knew Hermione was already getting use to the speeds; it was just her fear of heights. What better way to break her fear than to do a nose dive at blinding speeds for a mile or so? Several hundred students dove down after Harry, but he knew none of them had the courage to follow through. Not at the speeds he was going. Others tried to catch him as Harry dove, but he just rolled out of the way with ease.

Hermione was still screaming as the forest grew larger and larger on the ground. Her eyes were wide open staring at the trees before a sudden jerk pulled her vision away and aligned it up with the surface of the Earth. Harry was laughing as he guided the broom across the window of the Headmaster's office knowing Albus and Salazar would hear Hermione's screams. He wondered if either of the two men would send people after Harry, but unless they sent Salazar himself, no one could catch him.

Hermione's arms were pulled tightly around his stomach and Harry knew she was afraid that if she loosened one bit, she would fall of. However, Hermione did not know that Harry had magically tied them together so they would not fall off. Salazar did the same while training Harry to fly the way he does now. In fact, this was almost the exact same first lesson Salazar gave Harry all those years ago. The difference was Salazar had tied Harry to the end of the broom and dragged him through the air while pulling even more dangerous and deathly frightening stunts.

Behind them, their fellow peers converged once more to chase after Harry and Hermione. Harry could tell majority of the chasers had given up, but there were few who still tried. It was time to end this. Harry kicked the broom around and blasted off towards the group of remaining chasers. Playing chicken was fun, as Harry had the advantage. He tore through the group throwing majority of chasers into the forest below.

When Harry noticed Albus standing at his window with the portrait of Salazar, he took a hand off the broom and waved. Harry carefully noted the fury on Salazar's face and committed it to memory. It was not often Harry could anger Salazar this much, but when he did, it was always worth it regardless of his punishment. Well, Salazar could not punish him seeing how the Founder was just a portrait.

Harry turned back and noticed the group had finally given up. So he brought the broom around and headed back towards the lake where Harry touched down and helped Hermione off. "So, how's that for a ride?"

A sudden fist smashed into Harry's shoulder turning him to the side and rubbing it in pain. A kick followed crippling Harry sending him to the ground. A series of kicks to his side followed before Hermione stopped to cry out, "YOU COULD HAVE WARNED ME!"

"Where's the fun in that?" Harry replied only to receive a foot on his face.

"You're a bloody prat, you know that Harry?" Hermione shouted as she gave another good stomp on Harry's face.

"I know!" Harry agreed as he laughed. "You can thank Sal for that!"

"Do you have any idea how insanely dangerous not to mention scary that was?" Hermione cried out as Harry tried to recover from her beating.

"Well, imagine being tied to the end of the broom while the rider performs even more dangerous stunts like weaving through a forest," Harry muttered, but made sure Hermione could not hear it.

Hermione sat herself down and looked across the lake as she moped silently. "Thanks," Hermione said after a long silence. "I needed that."

Harry smiled as he sat up from the ground. "No need to thank me. I'm just helping out a friend."

"How is it that you know who I am?" Hermione asked remembering that Harry had avoided answering this question two weeks ago.

"Ah. Well, you're not going to like this," Harry replied with a mischievous grin. He pulled out one book of spells and began an incantation. Hermione watched as Harry turned smaller and smaller until a hamster stood in Harry's place.

"Couldn't be…" Hermione muttered in disbelief, but the hamster started to dance the familiar dance of a pet hamster Hermione took care of over winter. "YOU BLOODY INSUFFERABLE PRAT!" Hermione cried out before she punted the hamster towards the lake with all her might. She did not turn around when she heard a loud splash. Instead, Hermione took up the broom and flew back to Hogwarts.

Hermione touched down in the Quidditch field to return the broom when she found Ron and Ginny staring at Hermione in awe. "YOU CAN FLY?" the two redheads cried out in unison.

"Oh. That," Hermione said with a shrug as she walked towards the shed to put the broom away.

"I thought you were afraid of the height!" Ron exclaimed as he got up off of the ground.

"I thought it was the speed." Ginny said as they followed Hermione. They both knew that Victor had helped Hermione overcome her fear, but with little success.

"I was. Then a bloody insufferable prat came along and takes me for a ride," Hermione replied angrily. Ron and Ginny looked at each other. They have seen Hermione angry before, just never so angry that she would start swearing. Something bad must have happened.

"Who's a 'bloody insufferable prat'?" a cheery voice asked.

"You." Hermione shot back as she spun quickly and place a well aimed kick at the crotch.

Ron cringed while Ginny giggled as they watched Harry collapse to the ground, writhing in pain. Personally, they have never been kicked there by Hermione, but she had done it enough to Crabbe and Goyle that they knew it hurt.

"You know, considering you were trying to cheer me up, you could be a bit more considerate of my fears," Hermione told Harry as she glared daggers down at Harry while using her foot to smash his face into the ground. "Consider yourself lucky that I didn't impale you with a broom."

With those words, Hermione stalked off and did not look back once.

"You alright there, mate?" Ron asked as he walked over to help Harry sit up after Hermione disappeared from their sights.

"What in the name of Merlin's Beard did you do?" Ginny asked curiously.

"It's as she said. I took her for a ride," Harry replied with a cheerful smile despite his injury.

"Victor has done that several times, but we've never seen Hermione that bloody pissed off before," Ron said as Harry stood up from the ground.

"I doubt Victor made a mile long nose dive with Hermione on his back. Or fly faster than a snitch," Harry said as he patted himself down removing some of the grass on his black robes.

"That's a bloody lie!" Ron exclaimed not believing Harry could do either.

"Hermione would have jinxed you to the seventh gate of hell if you did that!" Ginny cried out.

Harry just laughed knowing how true Ginny's words were. He pulled up his robes revealing two wide red marks across his stomach. "I think she was too busy holding on."

"Bloody hell!" Ron and Ginny yelled in unison as they took a closer look.

"Looks worse than it is. Well, maybe not. I've had worse injuries before," Harry said. "I'll see you back in the castle. I think I missed a few exams that I need to make up!"

"Nah. They postponed the examination." Ron said partially happy. There was more he was going to add, but the three were present at the Ministry of Magic. A wave of sadness swarmed Ron and Ginny. They lost their father the day before. As much as they tried to cheer themselves up, they couldn't. Even the twins were gloomy.

"Go home, Ron. Ginny. There's no reason for the two of you to stay right now," Harry said after a long silence. "Spend time with the rest of your family. Life's not fair and far too short for you to wallow around places you don't want to be." Harry turned around and left the two redheads to make their own decisions. _It seemed Albus was not the man he once was_, Harry said to himself as he made his way to the castle.

There was once a time where Dumbledore knew the exact words to say to comfort others. When Harry passed Neville, he could tell Neville was still angry at the old Headmaster. Perhaps old age has gotten the better of Albus Dumbledore. This was something Harry needed to determine before the war begins to escalate. He had saved Dumbledore's life so he could lead and guide Neville and his friends in this war, but things did not work out the way Harry had thought.

When Harry entered Hogwarts, he decided to give Dumbledore a visit. When he reached the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the headmaster's office, it just stepped aside without waiting for a password. The gargoyle had seen Harry so many times in the past that it no longer bothered to ask Harry for a password.

Dumbledore was busy looking over some papers from the Ministry when he heard a knocking at the door. His head jerked up as Dumbledore always knew who was at the door. This was the first time someone had gotten past the gargoyle without him noticing. "Come in," Dumbledore called out a bit uneasy.

"Don't worry, Albus," the voice of Salazar spoke. "It's just good old Harry giving you a visit."

Dumbledore turned to the door and found Harry walking through it. "Damn. How is it that you always know it's me?" Harry glowered at the portrait.

"You're footsteps are so bloody loud that it can wake every soul in this castle," Salazar fired back. "And what in the BLOODY HELL was that taking Hermione on a ride like that! You could have gotten her killed!"

"Didn't know you cared for anyone outside of your house, Sal!" Harry shot back. "Hermione was perfectly safe on my back! She would have died on yours!"

"Nope. You're the only one I ever dragged on the end of my broom while pulling a stunt like that. Normal people rode normally," Salazar retorted with a glare.

"You're a bloody prick you know that?" Harry cursed at the portrait who just laughed. "And Hermione already got me back! Three stomps on the face, fourteen kicks to my side, one kick to my knee, one punch to my shoulder and to top it off, one bloody kick to my groin!"

"It'd do you good if you remember how violent Hermione can get if you piss her off," Salazar laughed, amused that Harry was beaten to pulp by a girl. His anger from earlier had dissipated completely. "You don't want to become infertile now, do you?"

"Shut up, Sal."

"You started it."

As amused as Dumbledore was with the conversation between Harry and Salazar, he still was curious as to why Harry made this visit. "Sorry for interrupting, but was there something you wanted to ask, Alex?"

"Yes there is," Harry replied and turned to face Dumbledore. "Hermione's magical energy is far too dense for her to be a Muggleborn witch. I would guess Hermione is at least a half blood. Even descendants of Squibs don't have this much magical energy."

Dumbledore stroked his beard intrigued by Harry's words; however, it was Salazar who answered. "That's because Hermione Jane Granger is a pureblood." Harry and Dumbledore looked at Salazar shocked that the founder answered so casually that it seemed the man knew already.

"What aren't you telling us, Sal!" Harry commanded as he shot up from his seat.

"A lot of things. Where's the fun in not making your life miserable?" Salazar replied with a gleeful and mischievous smile.

"You've just reach the bloody git status in my book, Sal!" Harry shouted as he lunged forward to attack the portrait. Dumbledore did not have time to stop Harry, but quickly found it unnecessary. Harry's fist slammed into an invisible barrier that sent a shock through his body and tossing him back against the door. "You BLOODY GIT!" Harry cursed at Salazar as he got up barely harmed by the blast.

"You've been a git in my book from the beginning," Salazar laughed as he was pounding his arm against the armrest of his chair. Harry just glared at the founder until he stopped laughing. "Now, on a more serious note, you will find out why Hermione's a pureblood soon enough. Sorry, Albus, but this is information that should only pass between Harry and my ears. You are forbidden to speak to anyone about this matter. We will inform you when the time is right."

Harry continued to glare at Salazar, but he was now wondering why Salazar knew Hermione's lineage. Pureblood? Hermione Granger was always known as the incredibly smart Muggleborn Ravenclaw. Hence the reason for the Slytherins' insults using 'Mudblood', a word which both Harry and Salazar loathed. And why did Salazar keep this fact a secret? What was so important to keep hidden?

"Stop trying to figure it out, Hairball. We both know it's impossible with that brain of yours. You'll see soon enough," Salazar stated as he sat back down in his chair fully composed. "From now on, you are to keep an eye on Hermione Granger and protect her from any and all harm that comes her way. Even _if _it means putting yourself in harms way."

"Wait, who's the Headmaster here? You are Albus?" Harry shot back quickly.

Dumbledore looked over to Salazar wondering the same thing. He had only asked one question throughout this conversation and Harry and Salazar talked almost like he was not present.

"Albus, of course. But this is not an order from the Headmaster to student. This is one from guardian to child," Salazar replied quickly.

"Damn you and your ability to twist words around!" Harry spat as he reluctantly sat down in defeat.

"Yes, yes. You tangle with Rowena enough, you end up like me," Salazar mused. "Back to my original topic, Hermione should never leave your sight. As you know, she is a Pureblood and Voldemort has discovered this fact. He will soon send his goons to capture her. This also makes it convenient for deciding your living arrangement. You will move in with Hermione as soon as this term ends."

"You bloody git!" Harry cursed at Salazar. It was one thing to be made a bodyguard, but things change when you have to move in with the parents of a teenage girl. For some reason, parents always seem overprotective when it comes to daughters. Maybe one day Harry would understand why, but for now, he was still a kid and was going to live as much as he could before war takes away his life. Again. "Are you insane? That's like writing my death contract!"

"Don't worry, Hairball. You'll get along fine with her parents," Salazar replied while mimicking Dumbledore's trademark: the twinkling eyes.

"More like I'll get along fine once I'm six feet under!" Harry shot back with a deadly glare.

"Albus, send a letter to the Grangers stating the circumstances. Use Fawkes as the phoenix will probably get to the Grangers and back with a response faster than any owl," Salazar challenged Harry's statement.

Dumbledore complied very interested in the outcome. There was never a dull moment when Harry and Salazar were together. It only took a few minutes before the Grangers responded.

_Dear Professor Albus Dumbledore, _

_We would be honored to take Harry Potter into our home. It must be tough not having a home to return to. We will be busy preparing our home to receive Harry so please inform Hermione that she will need to take a cab back home._

_Sincerely,_

_Sander Granger_

Harry snatched the letter out of Dumbledore's hands not believing his ears. "Your ears do not deceive you, Hairball," Salazar replied in an I-told-you-so tone. "Now hurry up, find Hermione and apologize for your stupid stunt. This is your only task for the rest of this term." Dumbledore watched as Harry slapped the letter onto his desk and left without another word. "No, Albus, I won't tell you."

"Well, it was worth a try," Dumbledore mused as he pulled out a lemon drop and placed it into his mouth.

Suddenly, the door burst open again and Harry cried out, "Hermione is related to you, isn't she Sal? A descendant maybe? Or perhaps even your Heir?"

"How do you figure that?" Salazar responded with a curious look. For a moment, Harry thought he saw nervousness in the man that raised him, but quickly dismissed it.

"Damn, I was hoping to shock you, but it didn't work," Harry cursed in disappointment. He had hoped to pull a fast one on Salazar while his guard was down, but it did not work out the way he planned. "Besides, it's impossible that a descendant of yours wouldn't know she's a pureblood. Not to mention no descendant of yours would throw away their pride as a Slytherin descendant to mask their lineage for the sake of raising children who don't know their lineage. Also, your descendants may have the twisted logic of getting rid of Squibs. No, no, there's no possibility Hermione is in any way related to you."

Once more, Harry left the headmaster's office and Dumbledore and Salazar waited several minutes in silence. Both wondered if Harry would burst into the room again, but the event did not happen a second time.

"So, Salazar, Hermione really is your Heir, isn't she?" Dumbledore stated with a triumphal grin across his face.

"Albus!" Salazar glared at the current headmaster.

"I saw you sweat for a moment," Dumbledore elaborated to elongate his feeling of victory over the ever elusive and cryptic founder. "Alex's surprise attack worked, only he did not see it. Or perhaps he dismissed it due to the time he spent with you. I don't suppose you would tell me how Hermione is related to you. No, that would be too easy. I will just enjoy my victory."

"It's not your victory! If it wasn't for that hairball, you wouldn't have known," Salazar countered.

"Still a victory. I figured out something you were trying to hide. I'll leave the rest of the secrets you're hiding for another time, but at the very least, I know why Hermione is so important to you," Dumbledore replied with a satisfied tone while he placed another lemon drop into his mouth. "Oh, don't worry, I won't tell Alex or anyone else for that matter. You're secret's safe."

"You better keep it safe. If it gets out, I will hunt you down, Albus, even if it means crawling out of this portrait," Salazar threatened.

"I know, Salazar, I know." Dumbledore answered.

* * *

"You see, those you cared about just left you to die," a masked man said as he circled another man who was chained to the prison cell floor.

"That's because they believed me dead!" the imprisoned man spat back. "What about you?"

"What about me?" the masked man laughed. "I saw the truth."

"And what truth did you see? That you're just a sacrificial pawn?" The chained man mocked.

"Yes," the masked man laughed as he stared into the eyes of the prisoner. "We are both sacrificial pawns in a game of war. The question for you is: would you rather be sacrificed as a pawn knowingly or unknowingly?"

"I'm no pawn!" the prisoner cried out in anger. "I sacrificed myself so that my-"

"Yet they have no intention of rescuing you or doing the same in your place," the masked man crushed the prisoner's logic. "My master can give you a chance to take revenge upon those who have left you here to die. Don't be like the others. Make the right choice. Be a sacrifice for a master that will not lie to you."

"Not lie? Like I can believe that!" the man spat. "Your master has killed thousand and even killed those who followed him!"

"Yes, but my master has made it very clear that he wishes to kill thousands and will cold bloodedly slaughter those who betray him. Does your precious family and friends do the same for you?" the masked man asked. "Do they tell you that you will one day lay your life on the line such that they may survive to live another day?"

"No! There's no need to! They would do-"

"Are you sure they would sacrifice their lives for yours? I did not see one person on their knees begging to exchange their life for yours. You were there! Did you see anyone beg to exchange his life for yours?" The man closed in on the prisoner before revealing an orb that began to playback the events he mentioned. As the event replays, the masked man narrates in a voice of a whisper, "See, there you are, hanging onto your dear life. There they are, crying to let you go but once we faked your death, all they care about is saving their own lives. Look at them run. They don't even hesitate for one second or look back."

"Of course. My life was in exchange for theirs!" The chained man cried out, but his confidence in his words was fading. It had been fading for a while but the man interrogating him was breaking apart his beliefs so effortlessly. "They are grateful of my sacrifice!"

"Let's watch that again, shall we?" The masked man stated as he rewound the event. "Point out-"

"I don't have to! I know it!" the prisoner shouted as he shut his eyes, desperate to hold onto his beliefs.

"It's not there, is it?" The question was whispered into the prisoner's ears with sorrow. "Watching it again will just prove that there is no evidence that they are grateful."

"No!" the chained man cried out as tears streamed down his face. "They are grateful!"

"Your tone and body language doesn't agree with your words," the masked man commented as he circled the prisoner once more.

"No, I believe my words! They have to have been grateful!" the man shouted in anger.

"Tell me, when did they have to be grateful for your sacrifice? When does anyone have to be grateful for someone else exchanging his life so that another could survive? No, they just consider themselves lucky that someone idiotic enough would give up his life for theirs." The masked man responded and crushed the last bit of faith the prisoner had in his beliefs. "Life isn't fair, is it? Why do those who are ungrateful of your sacrifice deserve to live more than you do? Your life is worth ten of their lives, so why did they not sacrifice their lives for yours, despite it being not enough?"

"They… my…" the chained man sobbed, crushed and broken. His beliefs lay shattered and his hope crushed.

"Come and work for my master and take vengeance on those who betrayed you. You may one day sacrifice yourself for your duty to my master, but my master will ensure that your vengeance will not die until it is fully paid," the masked man whispered into the prisoner's ears. "I will leave you alone to make your decision."

The masked man called for the guard and was let out of the prison cell, but before he could get five steps away, he heard a mumbled from the prisoner he had just interrogated. He stopped to listen more closely and the mumbles grew louder and louder before finally stopping.

"Wait, I have a question," the prisoner stated loudly. His voice was firm, but hollow and void of the compassion he had during the interrogation. "My choices are to die right now or to surrender my life to your master, which is equivalent of death, but have the chance to exact revenge of those who betrayed me?"

"That is correct," the masked man said as a smile grew beneath his mask.

"Then inform your master of my choice," the prisoner spoke as he stood up. His eyes were in a wild frenzy while a grin stretched across his face. "Tell your master that I will serve him so long as I can personally destroy the lives of those who betrayed me."

"I will. Welcome aboard, Number Five-One-Seven-One-Nine. You made the right choice," the masked man smiled as he turned his head to signal the guards to bring the prisoner to another chamber. The masked man walked in a different direction before reaching a dead end. To his right, a large green orb floated in midair. He placed his right hand upon the orb before whispering an incantation. Instantly, he was transported to a throne room where a figure with blood red eyes stared down. "Master, I have successfully brought another to join our cause."

"What was his price?" Lord Voldemort asked while hiding his joy.

"He merely asked to have the pleasure of personally destroying the lives of those who betrayed him," the masked man answered.

"Which subject is this?" Voldemort asked. The masked man lifted his orb and showed his master an image of Number 51719. "Most intriguing and most excellent. You have done well. As for your payment, it will be waiting for you in your quarters."

"Thank you for your patronage, Master," the masked man said with a bow. "I shall take my leave now. Should you capture anymore prisoners, I would be more than happy to receive your request for my services."

"Yes, I will indeed inform you of anymore prisoners," Voldemort smiled, showing his satisfaction. "You may return to your quarters."

"Thank you, Master," the masked man said before he left.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Sorry that it's be a year since I last updated this story. I went back and revised the previous chapters since it's been a while since I worked on this story, but here it is, the next chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter should be done soon. 


	6. Family

Chapter 06: Family

* * *

The remaining days at Hogwarts were torture for Harry. Rumors degrading Neville, Ron and Hermione were spread around and Harry had to end these rumors. However, Harry could not stop the gossip. Because of Salazar's orders, Harry was stuck with Hermione throughout each day. Gossip about Hermione and Harry's relationship began to spread. At first, it was harmless gossip about how Hermione has changed since Harry came into her life. Now it was about how they were having a secret relationship behind everyone's back.

Usually Harry did not care about gossip or rumors. Things like that did not bother him; but when rumors spread about those around him, Harry would step in. Rumors were particularly harmful to those who are in a weakened state of mind like those of Neville's DA that went to the Ministry of Magic. They had watched people they knew and loved die before their eyes and realize how powerless they were. There was also the feeling of guilt for those deaths. Questions that began with 'What if' occupied their minds. The pain they felt sometimes was beyond overwhelming. Rumors, especially untrue rumors, only wore down on their already depleted minds and spirits.

Those who had not seen war could never understand the pain and suffering that Neville and his friends were going through. Even if Harry told them or showed them, it still would not make them understand. Also, they were only children. At least in Harry's eyes. While it hurt to see Neville, Hermione, and all those who were at the Ministry in pain because of the rumors, Harry felt a bit of relief. Relief because they were still innocent, untainted by war. They could still joke around, laugh and be their youthful selves without having to face the harsh reality that the lives they lead now will come to an end soon. They could continue to live without knowing the true horrors they will face. For them, all they saw was that another term had ended and their vacation was about to begin.

The term had finally ended after the continuation of the paused examinations. Harry finished his exams with great difficulty as he did not have a wand. Controlling magic with a temporary wand was disastrous if one was not careful, and Harry was not the most careful of all people. One day, Harry must master the use of wands as he could feel his magic diminishing. The magic Harry commanded without wands were based on incantations written in spellbooks combined with spell components. Those two were then combined with the magic provided by nature, but over the years, nature's magical force was fading. Those who have relied upon wands would not feel nature's cry for repair, but Harry did. For decades had Harry sought to find a way to restore nature, but had yet to discover the first clue.

Harry was once told that his destiny went hand in hand with the restoration of Nature and Magic of Old. For a long time, Harry did not believe it. Even now, Harry still holds doubts, but even if the restoration of Nature and magic was not his destiny, Harry would seek to find a solution. Harry knew he would search for answers and if he did not find any, he would lay down a path for those who may seek it. The reason was Harry wanted to create a better world for future generations. War has shown Harry how much people could destroy thinking only of the present. To counterbalance the destruction, Harry believed that seeking ways to better the world for the future was the path.

The destruction of Nature and the abolishment of the Magic of Old caused Earth to weaken. Nature, as Harry learned over the years, was what provided magic. When Nature flourished, magic was abundant. With all the deforestation, pollution and neglecting of Nature of the current world, Harry knew magic would one day fade. The magic Harry used worked hand in hand with Nature and when Nature weakened, so did his magic. The Magic of Old was powerful because it drew on Nature. After the first Muggle War, a magic counsel declared the magic forbidden because of the evil abuse of that power could bring. What the counsel did not consider was that while the abuse of that magic brought great evil, it was that same magic that could restore the damage done.

The way Nature existed with so many different climates, weather patterns, native plants, native animals, and most importantly, its power to adapt to changes was because of its magic. The magic worked slowly, but it was the force behind evolution and adaptation. It worked slowly because plants and animals did not have precise control over magic. Mages who could tap into this magic could aid in controlling the magic and in essence, aid Nature in its evolution. Harry was such a mage and he could help restore Nature. In the past, Harry had restored a dying forest to its former glory. He even put in place guardians to keep people from destroying the forest, but it was only a temporary solution. With the invention of guns, anything short of the use of magic would not be enough.

The last thing Harry wanted was for Muggle scientists to discover magic. It was bad enough that the magical community had to hide their existence despite the fact that magic still overpowers Muggle technology. This made some witches and wizards angry and some, like Voldemort, take action to change it. Harry could only imagine what the world would be if Muggles discovered the existence of magic and in some twisted sense of logic felt they were superior. In the third Muggle War, Muggles attempted to erase magic from the world. A massive army of Muggles stood under one unified flag and while they were committing genocide, they believed they were cleansing the world of evil and impurity. Salazar was thrown into that war at the age of ten and was fortunate for it to end when he was fifteen. It ended because Godric Gryffindor dared to use magic that was forbidden to erase the existence of magic in the minds of all Muggles and from the Muggles' written history.

Few knew about the truth of why the Founders of Hogwarts were so well respected. Even fewer knew that they were mere children when they achieved their fame. It was locked away in time as the secret of what ended the third Muggle War had to be kept secret. The counsel that banned Magic of Old still existed then, but not long after sealing the secret of the last Muggle War in remembered history, they met their demise and were forgotten.

Aside from all his worries, Harry was glad the exams were over. He rested his head against the glass window of the train compartment he sat in. Neville sat across from him with Ron and Ginny to Neville's right side. Hermione sat to his left while the twins were off playing another prank. Harry was itching to prank some of the Slytherins in the train, but because of Salazar's orders, Harry had to sit still. It was fairly boring sitting in the compartment as no one was talking and not to mention the gloomy atmosphere. Everyone was in deep thought as they were returning to their broken families. For Neville, he was returning to his uncle's home to get ready for his grandmother's funeral. For Ron and Ginny, they were returning home to the Burrows only to be missing their beloved father.

Hermione was the only one with her family still intact. Except Hermione lost the one person she loved which tore her up as much as the others. Love was a great gift to have, but love can easily destroy people. Harry had seen his share of friends who cried as they held their dead friend in their arms. Some were dead sons. Others were fathers. Most were husbands. The worst were when their children were massacred. Harry did not understand the pain of losing a lover as he had never been in a relationship. War and time travel prevented Harry from having any serious relationships. As for family, Salazar was his main family and Harry knew he would see Salazar again.

This was the results and tragedies of war and was not something fifteen or sixteen year old teenagers should deal with. Unfortunately, this is the reality of the world. Harry would not shut his eyes and ignore the truths, but some truths were better kept hidden if possible.

It was a long boring ride back to King's Cross. Even the goodbyes were fairly uneventful. Neville's uncle picked Neville up at the station and he was gone before anyone could say goodbye. Actually, it was more like Neville did not want to say goodbye as he feared it may be his last. Ron's mother had not come to retrieve her children. Instead, Bill Weasley, the eldest of the seven siblings, came. For Hermione and Harry, they walked out and called over a cab.

On the trip to Hermione's home, Harry wondered if he was cursed to have boring day. No one wanted to get a conversation going. Even the twins, who usually were cheerful, remained dead silent after they returned from their prank. Harry let out a deep sigh before recognizing a house off in the distance.

It was the largest house in the neighborhood. Harry counted three floors in total above the ground. The cement walls were painted beige while the wooden porch was painted dark brown. It had black obsidian roofing tiles that glimmered in the sun. The yard was also the largest of the neighborhood. Tall oak trees stood neatly arranged on the far left and right side of the yard. The tall brick fence covered Harry's view, but he could tell there was a small garden up front.

"You don't live in a three story house, do you?" Harry asked as he continued to stare at the house. It was far too familiar, but Harry could not remember where he had seen it.

"Yeah. It's the house you're looking at. It's supposedly a thousand years old, but I doubt that's true. The house looks far too new to be a thousand years old. It might have been renovated several times," Hermione answered.

"A thousand years you say…" Harry said in a low voice. Hermione's note of how old the house was triggered Harry's memory. Harry was trying to remember a house he had visited in recent years, not one that was built when he was young. _It couldn't be… Could it?_

"You know, you're the first boy my parents were ever enthusiastic about meeting. They weren't even this trilled when I told them about Victor." Hermione said as she turned to face Harry.

Harry smiled as Hermione mentioned Victor. It was a hard two weeks for Hermione, but Harry could sense that Hermione was finally beginning to move on. With the help of Salazar, Harry was able to get Hermione back on her feet. That is, after he spent a full day apologizing for the stunt he pulled. Then again, Harry spent a week as Hermione's personal human punching bag, so she was able to relieve some of her stress on him. Aside from relieving her stress, Harry made sure Hermione was not sulking around all the time or closing herself off. It was never good to have your life fall into stasis. "Well, can't say I feel the same. I'm actually fairly scared of meeting your parents."

"Don't worry too much. They're dentists, so they are a bit on the clean side. But they are really nice people. My father's name is Sander Salazar Granger and my mother's name is Rosa Rowena Granger."

"Salazar and Rowena?" Harry jerked his head around as those were the only two words he heard. _No way! There's no possible way!_

"Yeah. Their middles names are the same as the names of two of the Founders. I found it interesting, but my parents are Muggles and don't know a single thing about the wizarding world," Hermione answered.

"Muggles." Harry echoed. _Right._ Harry was beginning to wonder about what Salazar was hiding. However hard he tried, Harry always came up with one answer to his questions. Hermione was a pureblood, so her father was a wizard and mother was a witch. The middle names of her parents were that of two Founders. The house she lived in was a thousand years old and Harry finally figured out that this was the house Salazar returned to after the war with Grendelwald. _There's no bloody way that it's possible. I could not have been correct with my wild guess!!!_

Harry's mind was in utter chaos. He did not know how to reorganize his thoughts because he still did not believe that Hermione could be a descendant of Salazar. Even if Harry could, he could not believe he missed his chance in surprising Salazar. Harry remembered a small fact he dismissed when he tried to surprise Salazar. The hints were all there: Salazar's knowledge about Hermione's love life and whereabouts; his fierce anger when Harry mischievously took Hermione on the broom ride; and not to mention Salazar's Heir being a female of this time. His mind was still spinning when the cab pulled up to the front gate and dropped Harry and Hermione off next to the bell.

"Mum! Dad! I'm home! Can you open the gate?" Hermione called through the speaker. A buzzing sounded and the gate swung open.

Harry carefully walked through the gate while carrying Hermione's trunks. While Hermione had large trunks to carry her possessions, Harry had all his possession in one of the three pouches that clung to his side. One of the pouches was a bag of infinite holding. It held majority of his living needs like clothes, desk, bed, computer, etc. Another pouch was an enchanted Haversack shrunk to a smaller size. Harry stored his spellbooks in the pouch and it worked similar to a bag of holding except it had a maximum volume. But it was handy since Harry could reach in and pull out whatever he wanted without every looking for it. With the bag of holding, Harry sometimes spent hours searching for what he was looking for. The third pouch was a normal spell ingredient pouch. All of them were enchanted to weigh no more than five pounds.

"Come on, Harry. My parent's aren't that scary," Hermione coaxed as she ran up the porch and rang the doorbell.

Harry climbed up the steps carefully as his thoughts were still on how Hermione was related to Salazar and how he missed the hints. When the door swung open, Harry dropped the trunks and his jaw fell open. He found himself staring into the eyes of a snake!

"Dad!" Hermione cried out. "Stop scaring people with your stupid pet!"

Only after Hermione mentioned a pet that Harry noticed boa constrictor wrapping itself around the first snake's body. The first snake had a name and one Harry was oh-so familiar with. Salazar Slytherin.

"Don't worry, Hermione. I think Harry's more shocked to see a snake than scared of it," Hermione's father replied with a smile as he danced over with perfect grace. He stood tall and proud, and perhaps arrogantly, before wrapping his long slender arms around Hermione for a hug and kissed her on her cheeks.

ss Hello, Harry Potter. I bid you welcome to my master's home. ss The boa constrictor greeted Harry in Parseltongue.

Harry looked from the boa to the other snake and said, ss Nice to see you again, you slimly git! Oh, and it's a pleasure to see you alive and well, Mandra. ss

ss Thank you, Harry. My master tells me to tell you to get your ass moving with those trunks. ss Mandra said to Harry.

"I didn't know you spoke Parseltongue!" Hermione exclaimed as she realized what Harry was doing.

"Yeah. A gift from Voldemort," Harry said as he picked up the trunks and walked into the house. He was in a bad mood, but was determined not to show it. Especially in front of Salazar.

"Honey, stop playing with Mandra and show Harry to his new room!" a kind and gentle female voice called out from the kitchen. "Hello, Harry. Welcome to our humble home." The woman walked out and Harry's jaw dropped again. Standing before him was none other than Rowena Ravenclaw.

ss Careful, Harry. Hermione does not know her lineage yet. ss Mandra warned as Harry clamped his jaw shut and kept himself from shouting out Rowena's name.

'You've got to be kidding me!' Harry wanted to cry out, but due to the watchful eye of Salazar, Harry kept his mouth shut. That man seemed to have eyes that could keep watch of every angle around him at all times. It took all of Harry's concentration to not throw a wild fit as the idea of Salazar and Rowena as the parents of Hermione just blew his mind away. All that kept him together was that he would lose to Salazar the moment he lost his composure. More than anything, Harry hated to lose against Salazar despite it being a common occurrence.

"I'll take those trunks out of your hands," Salazar said as he walked over and lifted Hermione's trunks with ease. "Follow me. I'll show you to your room!" Salazar persuaded with a cheery tone.

Hermione noticed a vein popping out of Harry's forehead as he followed her father upstairs. "Is it me or does Harry seem very tense and perhaps a bit annoyed?" Hermione asked her mother.

"He's bit uneasy with the situation," Rowena laughed. "It's not easy for a boy to be accepted into a home of a teenage girl," she reasoned, but Rowena knew exactly why Harry was so annoyed and how annoyed he was. She knew Harry had not expected to meet Salazar so soon. Sure the two were close as two brothers, but after a near six hundred years of bickering, you would really want a break.

"I guess," Hermione agreed casually, not knowing her mother was hiding something.

* * *

Salazar Slytherin, or Sander Granger as he so aptly named himself, whistled a happy tune as he made his way upstairs. If there was one thing he loved as much as his family, it was making Harry's life miserable. He enjoyed working Harry by sending him riddles and pushed his abilities to the max. Salazar saw great potential in Harry, but Harry's laziness always got in the way. So Salazar devised this clever way of making Harry work hard. Harry would always be trying to get back at Salazar which would require all his brainpower and skills. There were few people Salazar were close enough to share this type of relationship. Godric Gryffindor was also one of them.

ss You bastard! When did you marry Rowena? ss Harry asked in Parseltongue as the two entered one of the prepared rooms in the second floor.

ss A month after master returned. ss Mandra replied in Salazar's place. Although Salazar Slytherin was a Parseltongue, he could not speak it without giving away his identity. He did not want Hermione to know about her lineage just yet. So Salazar allowed his familiar to speak. They shared a link that allowed them to communicate telepathically.

ss No wonder why your portrait blew up when I took Hermione for a ride. ss Harry said as he enlarged his bag of holding so he could pull out his bed.

ss Master was raving for a week while Mistress tried her best to calm him. ss Mandra told Harry despite Salazar's wish. ss While she was worried about you, Mistress had complete faith in your ability to keep Hermione safe, unlike Master who should have known. ss

Harry fell to the ground laughing before Salazar gave him a good kick to the side. ss You know Hermione's one lethal girl right? ss

ss Of course. Hermione takes out her stress by practicing martial arts against conjured dolls. And you deserved that kick to the groin. Master says he would have done it himself and I agree. ss

ss How is it that Hermione has never known Rowena and your true identities? ss Harry asked curiously. This had been bothering him for a while as Harry could see how similar the man before him looked like the Salazar Slytherin hanging on one of the portraits.

ss Master had charmed the portraits so that no one could truly see his face unless they know how he looks like. Even the current Headmaster does not know what Master looks like. Only you. ss Mandra replied simply while Salazar began dancing his own victory dance to mock Harry.

ss So everyone sees a depiction of what they think you look like on your 'supposed' portrait? ss

ss That's the general idea Master wished for. Don't worry about it too much, Harry. Master's portrait was brilliantly created. Not even Mistress has figured out all the secrets. ss Mandra answered ending the conversation.

"Feel free to make yourself at home," Salazar said when he finished his victory dance and he left Harry to make the empty room his.

It took a few moments before Harry was able to take out the basic room necessities from his Bag of Infinite Holding, but he had done it enough times and created a simple routine. Harry then used his wandless magic to place his bed, desk and bookshelf in place around the room. It was harder getting his clothes out, as Harry had hundreds of different clothes stuffed in his bag to accommodate for the different time periods he was sent to. Harry flopped down onto his bed to rest a bit when he heard a knock on the door.

"How's things been?" Rowena asked. She stood at the doorway with her raven black hair and deep blue eyes. "You know, Sal's been waiting for this day for a long time."

Harry tilted his head to look at the wife of the man who raised him as a younger brother. "Heh. Did he?" Harry laughed. "To tell you the truth, so did I. I would have never guess Hermione would be your daughter though."

Rowena smiled at the boy. "She's a lot like me, isn't she?"

"Near perfect copy of your dazzling personality," Harry replied with a slightly sarcastic tone. "She even has your hairstyle from way back in the day. Missing your thick glasses though. Hermione's also like Sal in some ways. Her fierce determination and insanely powerful combat skills."

"Ah, yes. I heard that you took her for a ride. Consider yourself lucky that she didn't impale you with the broom," Rowena joked. "She was more outgoing in her younger years. War has taken away her joys."

"War…" Harry repeated softly. "Why couldn't Bal just send you to a peaceful time? Why couldn't he just keep Sal and your family away? Bal knows you deserve to live in peace!"

Rowena gave Harry a weak smile. She knew Harry cared about the wellbeing of Salazar and herself more than he cared about himself. Harry was the boy Salazar raised with his own view of nobility and Salazar Slytherin was by far the noblest man of all time. The only man nobler was Gordic Gryffindor whom Salazar admired and aspired to surpass. There was only one difference between Harry and Salazar. If there came a time when Harry had to sacrifice his life for those he loved, he would do it in a heartbeat. Salazar would not. Instead, her husband would fight until the very end to stay alive so that those he loved would not be devestated by his sacrifice. "Balthazar sent us here to help you, Harry. And I know Hermione will be important to the outcome of this war as well as your fate."

Harry sat up to look at the intelligent woman who just smiled back innocently. He wanted to ask Rowena to clarify only to remember that she was just as cryptic as Salazar, but no where near as annoying. "Did I ever tell you how much I hate cryptic messages?"

"On many occasions," Rowena laughed. "Come on. Dinner's ready. I think the other kids are coming back soon."

"Other kids?" Harry asked before slapping his hand to his forehead. "Of course you would have other kids..."

"We have four kids. Hermione's the oldest. Next are the twin boys, Eric and Alex, who are two years younger and go to Durmstrang. Alyssa is our youngest daughter and just finished her first year at Beaxbaton."

Harry sat up to this new information. Hermione had never mentioned anything about her sibling at Hogwarts before. "Why split them up?"

Rowena smiled and left leaving Harry to try and answer the question himself. Maybe having married Salazar for sixteen or seventeen years changed Rowena a bit. Just a bit. When Harry decided his room was done, he made his way down the stairs where he found Salazar, no, Sander and the family seated around an elegant dining table. The only seat open was that next to Hermione and directly across from Sander.

As Harry walked down to the dining room and seated himself, he found himself in the company of the Granger family, not the Slytherin Family and needed to treat Salazar not as Salazar Slytherin, the man who raised him like a brother and long time war companion, but Sander Granger, the father of Hermione Granger. As for Rowena Ravenclaw, she was now Rosa Granger. Both were just Muggles who had little knowledge of the magical world.

As Harry sat down, he took note of the interactions between Eric and Alex and Alyssa. The twins would tease their younger sister, but eventually let her have what it was that she wanted. Hermione would step in if the teasing went too far, but enjoyed herself as she ate her meal. Sander and Rosa often whispered to one another while smiling at their children. They were the people Hermione went to when she could no longer control the situation.

It was at this moment that Harry realized he had never been with a family. Nor did he ever truly have a family experience. Sure, Salazar had raised Harry for fourteen years, but they were more like two brothers dragged onto a battlefield that lasted nearly six hundred years.

Things were different with Sander. Sander was nothing like Salazar. The cunningness and sly remarks were gone. Warmth and good intentions flowed out of the man instead of the nasty intentions to screw over Harry just to make Harry use his brain. His family loved him. Sure, Harry loved Salazar for everything the man had done, but their relationship was nothing like this. They were nothing like a complete family, just two brothers that were like best friends because they were in a battlefield.

Harry had not known when he relaxed his senses, but it was nice. No, more than nice. It was bliss. Heavenly bliss. So blissful that Harry found himself smiling for no reason. This was what a family offers, and this was something Harry wished he would never take from everyone who sat around the table. However, war had come but Harry was sure that not one person here would become a casualty.

"This is quite a family you have here, Sa-ander." Harry had almost said 'Sal', but was able to catch himself. However, he had used the first name of the parent of his host which showed he lacked in manners.

"And it looks like you have found that you fit right in with us, Harry!" Sander replied with a grin Harry recognized as one from his days as Salazar Slytherin. "Glad you're making yourself so cozy in our humble home."

"Well, it's not hard to considering you have been so welcoming from the first moment I stepped through the front door. Hold that thought. You were welcoming the moment you received the letter from Albus," Harry replied with a smile of his own to counter the grin of Sander.

"Why would we not be welcoming to someone who the Headmaster holds such high praise for?" Sander chose his words carefully. True, Harry did save Hermione from Voldemort during her excursion to the Ministry of Magic, but that was still a touchy subject. Albus Dumbledore, on the other hand, wasn't.

"Albus praised me in his letter? My, I would have to thank him later. You must trust Albus very much to believe such high praise without a single shred of doubt," Harry answered Sander's challenge. True, the man had asked a rhetorical question, but Harry knew those words were carefully chosen for his daughters sake as well as a challenge to a duel of words.

Daughter. That word still sent shivers through Harry's body. Harry had spent one month of time as Hermione's pet hamster during his last twenty years of misadventures through time. And then another month of time as her friend attending Hogwarts. Harry had learned how amazing a person she was and loved to have her as a friend, but this was not a person Harry imagined Salazar would raise. Perhaps Sander was a different person. _Nope, _thought Harry when he saw another familiar smile across the man's face, _they are the same person. Sander is just a toned down and nice version of Sal._

"Why would I not believe the words of a man who has the highest praise from witches and wizards all over the wizarding world? Not to mention the man who showed students like my beautiful and intelligent daughter this wonderful path they can take?"

Hermione watched in awe as the conversation went on. Harry and her father spent less than a second thinking of their responses. Few ever reached this level of conversation with her father. Even fewer reached it within their first meeting. Yet, here sat a boy, no, a man of near six hundred years of life in the body of a fifteen year old boy and could carry a fascinating conversation with her beloved father.

The conversation amazed her so much that Hermione placed down the silverware in her hands just to sit down and listen. As intelligent as Hermione was, she found that she could not follow their conversation as well as she first believed. They were so far ahead of her that Hermione had to stop trying to guess the responses and just listen. This only happened when her mother and father were in a heated debate. Yet the two men looked as if they were enjoying this interaction as if it were a daily occurrence.

"Amazed that someone who has met your father for a few moments can strike up such a conversation?" Rosa mused as she stopped the twins from teasing Alyssa any further.

"Yes…" was all Hermione could say as she was concentrating on the conversation. It had started with just a simple comment on her family, but now it was a deep theoretical conversation of normal interactions between strangers.

"They look like two long lost brothers, don't they?" Rosa said breaking her daughter's concentration.

Hermione blinked at the question. She had been so focused on the conversation that she had not noticed that Harry and her father did seem like two long lost brothers. They talked to one another not with a tone of formality, but that of familiarity. It sounded like the two had known each other for years, but the two men had just met.

"You will finally see a side of your father he had hidden away all of these years," Rosa said as she removed the twins from the table as they were causing more trouble than needed. "Perhaps hidden is not the right word. It's more like he never met anyone who could bring out this side of him."

Hermione just stared at her father and Harry talk while listening to her mother's words. They were never wrong. Especially when it came to people. Rosa Granger seemed to have an amazing ability to accurately tell the personality and mood of the person she was looking at. There was no need for her to interact with the person. This was what made the dentistry so successful. With one look at the patient, Rosa knew exactly what to say and what to do to make the patient's visit as swift and painless as possible.

However, there was something about her mother's words that Hermione could not figure out. It seemed like her mother also knew Harry as she spoke not of Harry, but his relationship with her father. Hermione turned to face her mother wondering what the woman was hiding. But unlike Rosa who could read Hermione like an open children's book, Hermione could not discover the faintest of clues to understand what her mother was thinking. Rosa just smiled at her daughter and left the table to clean the dishes as the twins had already finished their meal.

Suddenly, an elbow poked at Hermione's ribs breaking her from turning back to watch Harry and her father's conversation. She turned to face Alyssa who whispered, "You know, by the looks of things, it looks like you have a crush on Harry as you are watching him so much."

"I do not!" Hermione cried out only to slap her hands over her mouth. Hermione looked to her mother who had a pair of headphones on as she cleaned up the kitchen counters. Then she looked over to her father who was still in a deep conversation with Harry.

When Hermione turned back to face her sister, Alyssa grinned as she continued, "Not only are you blushing, you're deny-" Alyssa never finished before a hand slapped over her mouth muffling her words.

"My room. NOW!" Hermione said angrily as she dragged her younger sister up the stairs. Alyssa complied happily as she bounced up the stairs with a wide grin across her face.

It was only when Harry noticed that Hermione was stomping loudly up the stairs that he turned away from Sanders to see Hermione disappear up the stairway with Alyssa following closely behind. "Did I miss something?" Harry asked fairly confused.

"Did something happen?" Sander asked, but his innocent looking face gave Harry the feeling the man knew what exactly had happened between Hermione and Alyssa.

Rosa did not need to turn to see Sander's face as she could hear Harry's scowl. They both heard Hermione's cry of denial, but they were not about to say anything. Not yet, at least.


End file.
